Smart Targets inside MantisX: Shooting Analytics with Shot Placement

At Mantis, we have a whole suite of training products that enable shooters to practice and improve with dry and live fire training sessions.  Our hardware products, like MantisX units, TitanX, BlackbeardX, and Pink Rhino Laser Cartridges, can be used with our different apps like MantisX Pistol/Rifle and Laser Academy to help shooters engage in training that is meaningful to them and where they are in their skill journey.  

While our hardware has always been flexible in use, our apps have always had two distinctly different perspectives on training, until now.  We recently created lite integrations that allowed Smart Targets with shot placement to be shown in MantisX Pistol/Rifle and for any X unit to have essential trace and trigger press feedback in Laser Academy.   A union our dedicated user base has been asking for, so we answered with our free integration update in both apps.

What this essentially does is combine the two training perspectives.  MantisX Pistol/Rifle focuses on the technique, or what in motor learning is the ‘knowledge of performance’ half, while Laser Academy shows the laser point of impact on the target and lends itself to the ‘knowledge of results’ side.

Motor learning is exactly what is required in shooting, we must know how to press the trigger, move and manipulate the firearm to get the results we want on target every time.  Without good technique, you may hit the target, but you won’t be able to have speed and accuracy on demand.

Knowing your performance of the shooting technique means understanding and feeling the process that led to a particular result, good or bad.  If we know what we did right, we can get the results we want on target; if we know what we did wrong, we can work to eliminate and correct which results in good hits on target.  

The integration of MantisX Pistol/Rifle and Laser Academy now allows you to choose if you want the performance process or results to be the main focus of your practice session but still gives insight to the other half.

In this article, we will be looking at how the Smart Targets have been integrated into the MantisX Pistol/Rifle app in detail.

What Smart Targets can be used?

The integration launched in December of 2025, with the Standard Smart Target Pack available for use.  If you own Laser Academy, you already have all these targets, if you don’t own it you can purchase the packs in 3 different sizes printed on heavy duty card stock, or you can download them for FREE to print at home.

There are 11 different targets plus a controller target that allows you to control the app just by shooting, and yes it works in the integration.  Laser Academy does have additional target packs, and continues to add new targets, which will be integrated into the MantisX Pistol/Rifle app in a future release.

No need to look up what targets are compatible in the integration; the app will be able to determine that when it looks to identify valid targets.  Any valid target will have a blue border around it when identified by the app.  Any of these targets can be used in any drill in the app and will be scored for the zone the laser impacted on the camera tab.

How do you use Smart Targets in the MantisX Pistol/Rifle app?

To use a target, simply enable the camera on the drill start screen.  Once enabled, orient the camera towards the target so all 4 QR codes are visible and the app will identify 1 or more valid targets with a blue border. This app is portrait mode so use the slider on the left hand side to adjust the camera view until all targets can be captured.  After all targets have been identified, press ‘Confirm’ and the drill can be started.  

Any drill selected will follow the instructions given on the start screen, but now a new tab will appear that shows any hits on target.  These hits will show an image of the target as a small red marker, if any shot in the list is selected, the marker and hit zone will be highlighted.

The target on the Camera tab can be pinched and panned for zooming in and out.  It can also be toggled to view the camera view if needed.  A small play button shows which will play the shots in sequential order.  The target list will show the shot number, score, and time.

The target can also be seen on the Trace tab in the background of the shot trace.  Open up the sub-menu which will allow you to set the distance in yards or meters using a slider and to toggle on/off showing the rings and target.  Make sure you adjust the distance setting for an accurate view.  

All existing feedback tabs work as they normally do, giving detailed insight to your shooting technique.

What drills can Smart Targets be used with?

The ability to use Smart Targets in the app is available for all drills.  If a Mantis X10, TitanX, or BlackbeardX, the additional drill sections will appear at the top of the Train tab, all of which 1 or more Smart Targets can be used with.

The feedback tabs for Holster Draw Analysis and Dynamic drills will retain the typical feedback with the addition of a Camera tab.  The Camera tab in these drills has the same shot number, score, and time information as is shown in the standard drills.

At this time, no courses incorporate the target to pass challenges, but the camera can still be enabled for additional information.

In the Laser Academy app, some of the targets come with a curated drill that sets a course of fire specific to the target; this is not available by default in MantisX Pistol/Rifle.  However, all drills do have configurable settings which can be used to create the same course of fire.  We suggest using the notes section to name these drills if you want to be able to search for them later.

Get the ultimate feedback with integrated Smart Targets

Enabling the camera and using free to print Smart Targets enhances each dry fire training session.  This pairing gives instant feedback on the two parts of motor learning, ‘knowledge of performance’ and ‘knowledge of results’.

Being able to see where the laser hits on the target on your wall gives some idea of where the point of impact would be on range, but looking at the MantisX data helps you to understand why it hit that spot.  

If you got the result you wanted in the time and accuracy standard you are aiming for then you can see what went right and what your tendencies are with the Trace and Camera tabs.  If your hits are not at the standard you are looking to achieve, then the Segment, Trace, and Camera tabs will give valuable insight into what exactly happened and how to correct it.  

Whether you are working on your trigger press, holster draw, or transitions, adding a target can give valuable insight to your session and prompts looking at the whole picture.  In shooting, speed and accuracy together are the goal, not perfection.  Knowing what your performance and results are coupled with critically thinking about what is good enough to accomplish the shooting mission is the key to consistent improvement.  

What are you waiting for? Print our Smart Targets for free, and get training!