Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies	Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of FLIR Systems, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”) are unaudited and have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the opinion of management, these statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations for the interim periods. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FLIR Systems, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the operating results to be expected for any subsequent interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2017. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Update 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" ("ASU 2016-09"). The standard update simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory withholding requirements, as well as classification in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. As a result of the adoption, on a prospective basis, the Company recognized $0.4 million and $4.0 million of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation as a discrete item in income tax provision for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. Historically, these amounts were recorded as additional paid-in capital. Upon adoption, the Company elected to apply the change retrospectively to the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows which resulted in a reclassification of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $1.6 million from cash flows from financing activities to cash flows from operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Additionally, $5.8 million paid in cash to satisfy withholding requirements for net settlement of restricted stock unit shares vested and stock options exercised has been reclassified from cash flows from operating activities to cash flows from financing activities to conform to the presentation required by the new standard in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. ASU 2016-09 also requires excess tax benefits and deficiencies to be excluded from the assumed future proceeds in the calculation of diluted shares. This change resulted in an increase in diluted weighted average shares outstanding of 215,000 shares and 211,000 shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. The Company elected not to change its policy on accounting for forfeitures and will continue to estimate a requisite forfeiture rate. Additional amendments to the accounting for income taxes and minimum statutory withholding requirements had no impact on the Company's results of operations. Reclassifications The Company made certain reclassifications to the prior years' financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements to conform them to the presentation as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017. These reclassifications had no effect on consolidated financial position, net earnings, shareholders' equity, or net cash flows for any of the periods presented.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of FLIR Systems, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (the “Company”) are unaudited and have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. In the opinion of management, these statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations for the interim periods. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FLIR Systems, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the operating results to be expected for any subsequent interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2017.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Update 2016-09, "Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" ("ASU 2016-09"). The standard update simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory withholding requirements, as well as classification in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. As a result of the adoption, on a prospective basis, the Company recognized $0.4 million and $4.0 million of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation as a discrete item in income tax provision for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. Historically, these amounts were recorded as additional paid-in capital. Upon adoption, the Company elected to apply the change retrospectively to the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows which resulted in a reclassification of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $1.6 million from cash flows from financing activities to cash flows from operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Additionally, $5.8 million paid in cash to satisfy withholding requirements for net settlement of restricted stock unit shares vested and stock options exercised has been reclassified from cash flows from operating activities to cash flows from financing activities to conform to the presentation required by the new standard in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. ASU 2016-09 also requires excess tax benefits and deficiencies to be excluded from the assumed future proceeds in the calculation of diluted shares. This change resulted in an increase in diluted weighted average shares outstanding of 215,000 shares and 211,000 shares for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. The Company elected not to change its policy on accounting for forfeitures and will continue to estimate a requisite forfeiture rate. Additional amendments to the accounting for income taxes and minimum statutory withholding requirements had no impact on the Company's results of operations.

Reclassifications

The Company made certain reclassifications to the prior years' financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements to conform them to the presentation as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017. These reclassifications had no effect on consolidated financial position, net earnings, shareholders' equity, or net cash flows for any of the periods presented.