The expense charged against earnings for the period pertaining to standard and extended warranties on the entity's goods and services granted to customers.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph ((c)(3,4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantyExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantyLiabilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount as of the balance sheet date of the aggregate standard product warranty liability. Does not include the balance for the extended product warranty liability.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrual
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the standard product warranty accrual from changes in estimates attributable to preexisting product warranties. Excludes extended product warranties.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StandardProductWarrantyAccrualPreexistingIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=avav_UnmannedAircraftSystemsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Warranty Reserves Estimated Cost (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
Warranty Reserves Estimated Cost (Details) - USD ($)	Jul. 29, 2017	Jul. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016
Warranty Reserves
Standard Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)		$ 1,407,000
Standard Product Warranty Accrual	$ 2,885,000	5,223,000	$ 3,231,000	$ 4,134,000
UAS
Warranty Reserves
Standard Product Warranty Accrual, Preexisting, Increase (Decrease)		$ 1,407,000
Standard Product Warranty Accrual	5,000
Product Warranty Expense	$ 2,198,000