CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 29, 2017	Jul. 30, 2016
Revenue:
Product sales	$ 31,091,000	$ 15,737,000
Contract services	12,673,000	20,481,000
Total revenue	43,764,000	36,218,000
Cost of sales:
Product sales	24,217,000	15,222,000
Contract services	7,917,000	14,313,000
Total cost of sales	32,134,000	29,535,000
Gross margin:
Product sales	6,874,000	515,000
Contract services	4,756,000	6,168,000
Total gross margin	11,630,000	6,683,000
Selling, general and administrative	13,331,000	13,663,000
Research and development	6,461,000	8,600,000
Loss from operations	(8,162,000)	(15,580,000)
Other income (expense):
Interest income, net	512,000	375,000
Other income (expense), net	4,000	(300,000)
Loss before income taxes	(7,646,000)	(15,505,000)
Benefit for income taxes	(3,180,000)	(3,863,000)
Net loss	(4,466,000)	(11,642,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	23,000
Net loss attributable to AeroVironment	$ (4,443,000)	$ (11,642,000)
Loss per share attributable to AeroVironment:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	$ (0.51)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.19)	$ (0.51)
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	23,336,305	22,956,607
Diluted (in shares)	23,336,305	22,956,607