Organization and Significant Accounting Policies Other - Government Contracts (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
Jul. 28, 2018	Jul. 29, 2017	Apr. 30, 2018
Government Contracts
Reserves for incurred cost claim audits	$ 77,000		$ 77,000
Numerator for basic earnings per share:
Continuing operations attributable to AeroVironment	20,337,000	$ (4,371,000)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations	6,993,000	(1,488,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to AeroVironment	$ 27,330,000	$ (5,859,000)
Denominator for basic (loss) earnings per share:
Weighted-average common shares outstanding, excluding unvested restricted stock (in shares)	23,574,595	23,336,305
Dilutive effect of employee stock options and unvested restricted stock (in shares)	435,708
Denominator for diluted (loss) earnings per share (in shares)	24,010,303	23,336,305
Number of shares reserved for issuance that are anti-dilutive	25,392	256,011

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Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

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Amount after tax of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the parent.

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Additional shares included in the calculation of diluted EPS as a result of the potentially dilutive effect of share based payment arrangements using the treasury stock method.

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Amount, after deduction of tax, noncontrolling interests, dividends on preferred stock and participating securities; of income (loss) available to common shareholders.

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