CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Oct. 28, 2017	Oct. 29, 2016	Oct. 28, 2017	Oct. 29, 2016
Revenue:
Product sales	$ 52,933,000	$ 29,350,000	$ 84,024,000	$ 45,087,000
Contract services	20,894,000	20,766,000	33,567,000	41,247,000
Total revenue	73,827,000	50,116,000	117,591,000	86,334,000
Cost of sales:
Product sales	30,014,000	19,197,000	54,231,000	34,419,000
Contract services	12,813,000	13,502,000	20,730,000	27,815,000
Total cost of sales	42,827,000	32,699,000	74,961,000	62,234,000
Gross margin:
Product sales	22,919,000	10,153,000	29,793,000	10,668,000
Contract services	8,081,000	7,264,000	12,837,000	13,432,000
Total gross margin	31,000,000	17,417,000	42,630,000	24,100,000
Selling, general and administrative	14,464,000	13,387,000	27,795,000	27,050,000
Research and development	7,272,000	8,517,000	13,733,000	17,117,000
Income (loss) from operations	9,264,000	(4,487,000)	1,102,000	(20,067,000)
Other income (expense):
Interest income, net	432,000	397,000	944,000	772,000
Other expense, net	(55,000)	(130,000)	(51,000)	(430,000)
Income (loss) before income taxes	9,641,000	(4,220,000)	1,995,000	(19,725,000)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	2,829,000	(48,000)	(351,000)	(3,911,000)
Net income (loss)	6,812,000	(4,172,000)	2,346,000	(15,814,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	206,000		229,000
Net income (loss) attributable to AeroVironment	$ 7,018,000	$ (4,172,000)	$ 2,575,000	$ (15,814,000)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to AeroVironment:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.30	$ (0.18)	$ 0.11	$ (0.69)
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29	$ (0.18)	$ 0.11	$ (0.69)
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	23,477,914	23,049,056	23,407,500	23,002,832
Diluted (in shares)	23,832,959	23,049,056	23,715,997	23,002,832