Segment Data - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of reportable segments of company \| segment			2
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 104,836	$ 90,262	$ 305,277	$ 249,147
Cost of sales	39,203	40,497	112,040	105,075
Gross margin	65,633	49,765	193,237	144,072
Sales, general and administrative	(39,685)	(36,398)	(114,787)	(99,079)
Research and development	(21,982)	(14,166)	(55,602)	(39,618)
Income (loss) from operations	3,966	(799)	22,848	5,375
TASER Weapons
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	63,666	59,416	187,814	170,103
Cost of sales	19,256	19,237	57,480	53,341
Gross margin	44,410	40,179	130,334	116,762
Sales, general and administrative	(22,574)	(20,575)	(65,759)	(55,283)
Research and development	(4,837)	(1,856)	(11,816)	(5,931)
Income (loss) from operations	16,999	17,748	52,759	55,548
Software and Sensors
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	41,170	30,846	117,463	79,044
Cost of sales	19,947	21,260	54,560	51,734
Gross margin	21,223	9,586	62,903	27,310
Sales, general and administrative	(17,111)	(15,823)	(49,028)	(43,796)
Research and development	(17,145)	(12,310)	(43,786)	(33,687)
Income (loss) from operations	(13,033)	(18,547)	(29,911)	(50,173)
Product
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	80,923	73,985	238,618	208,351
Cost of sales	32,953	34,573	96,474	91,817
Product \| TASER Weapons
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	63,666	59,416	187,814	170,103
Cost of sales	19,256	19,237	57,480	53,341
Product \| Software and Sensors
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	17,257	14,569	50,804	38,248
Cost of sales	13,697	15,336	38,994	38,476
Service
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	23,913	16,277	66,659	40,796
Cost of sales	6,250	5,924	15,566	13,258
Service \| TASER Weapons
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Service \| Software and Sensors
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	23,913	16,277	66,659	40,796
Cost of sales	$ 6,250	$ 5,924	$ 15,566	$ 13,258

The aggregate costs related to goods produced and sold and services rendered by an entity during the reporting period. This excludes costs incurred during the reporting period related to financial services rendered and other revenue generating activities.

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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