Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 02, 2017	Jun. 09, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related contingent consideration at fair value						$ 9,835
Accrued liabilities			$ 41,972	$ 41,972	$ 33,016
Inthinc [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition effective date		Jun. 09, 2017
Cash consideration paid		$ 34,236
Number of common stock shares issued for consideration		76,796
Common stock issued, per share		$ 9.95
Total consideration of preliminary purchase price		$ 44,835
Acquisition-related contingent consideration at fair value		$ 9,835
Increase (decrease) in goodwill				156
Portion of contingent consideration in other non-current liabilities			3,721	3,721	9,313
Contingent consideration accretion recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses				186
Number of trading days for average closing price		20 days
Additional product liabilities assumed through acquisition		$ 1,032
Accrued liabilities			546	546
Reduction in fair value of earn-outs amounts			4,223	5,778
Inthinc [Member] | Indemnification Asset [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amount deposited in escrow to fund any indemnification obligations			1,000	1,000
Amount received from escorw to partially fund working capital adjustment			500	500
Inthinc [Member] | Customer Lists and Technology [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount rate to reflect risk characteristics of intangible assets		12.00%
Inthinc [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration payable		$ 25,000
ORBCOMM Technology Ireland Limited [Member] | Blue Tree Systems Limited [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition effective date	Oct. 02, 2017
Outstanding equity percentage	100.00%
Cash consideration paid	$ 34,331
Number of common stock shares issued for consideration	191,022
Common stock issued, per share	$ 10.47
Number of business day prior to closing date	1 day
Total consideration of preliminary purchase price	$ 37,107
Acquisition-related contingent consideration at fair value	$ 776
Increase (decrease) in goodwill				393
Portion of contingent consideration in accrued liabilities			874	874
Portion of contingent consideration in other non-current liabilities					$ 776
Contingent consideration accretion recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses			26	98
ORBCOMM Technology Ireland Limited [Member] | Blue Tree Systems Limited [Member] | Indemnification Asset [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Amount deposited in escrow to fund any indemnification obligations			$ 3,675	$ 3,675
ORBCOMM Technology Ireland Limited [Member] | Blue Tree Systems Limited [Member] | Customer Lists, Technology and Tradenames [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount rate to reflect risk characteristics of intangible assets	26.50%
ORBCOMM Technology Ireland Limited [Member] | Blue Tree Systems Limited [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration payable	$ 5,750