Business Acquisitions (Details)				9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 26, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 10, 2018 USD ($) item	Feb. 01, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 25, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Jun. 10, 2019
Business Acquisitions
Ownership interest acquired								100.00%
Business Combinations, Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed at Acquisition Date
Goodwill					$ 6,340,000
Supplemental Pro forma Information
Amortization of Intangible Assets					2,822,000	$ 357,000	$ 296,000
Altoy
Business Acquisitions
Amount of retention to cover post closing indemnification claims			$ 250,000
Amount of holdback			1,250,000
Business Combinations, Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed at Acquisition Date
Inventory			334,000
Goodwill			6,340,000
Other assets and liabilities assumed			(614,000)
Total net identified assets acquired			21,880,000
Fair value of consideration transferred:
Cash			18,677,000
Holdback			1,250,000
Retention			250,000
Contingent consideration			1,703,000
Cash consideration received			21,880,000
Supplemental Pro forma Information
Revenue					367,523,000	316,878,000
Net income attributable to AeroVironment					41,481,000	$ 43,204,000
Altoy | In process research and development
Business Combinations, Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed at Acquisition Date
Intangible assets			550,000
Altoy | Non-compete agreements
Business Combinations, Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed at Acquisition Date
Intangible assets			320,000
Altoy | Customer relationships
Business Combinations, Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed at Acquisition Date
Intangible assets			$ 14,950,000
Pulse Aerospace, LLC
Business Acquisitions
Ownership interest acquired		100.00%
Amount of cash less closing indebtedness and transaction costs		$ 20,650,000
Amount of retention to cover post closing indemnification claims		250,000
Amount of holdback		$ 1,250,000
Number of months after closing holdback will be paid		18 months
Number of research and development milestones | item		2
Each milestone achievement	$ 2,500,000
Total milestone achievement		$ 5,000,000
Contingent consideration paid		1,703,000			2,500,000
Fair value of consideration transferred:
Holdback		1,250,000
Retention		$ 250,000
Supplemental Pro forma Information
Revenue					6,607,000
Amortization of Intangible Assets					2,461,000
Pulse Aerospace, LLC | Discount rate
Business Acquisitions
Measurement input		4.5
Pulse Aerospace, LLC | SG&A
Business Acquisitions
Business acquisitions gain				$ 832,000	$ 832,000
Pulse Aerospace, LLC | Minimum
Business Acquisitions
Each milestone achievement		$ 0
Pulse Aerospace, LLC | Maximum
Business Acquisitions
Each milestone achievement		$ 2,500,000
Fair value of consideration transferred:
Cash				$ 5,000,000