FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Minson Roy E. 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 05/07/2012 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AeroVironment Inc [AVAV] (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O AEROVIRONMENT, INC., 181 W. HUNTINGTON DRIVE, SUITE 202 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) SVP and GM 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) MONROVIA, CA 91016 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 12,000 (1) D   Common Stock 3,000 (2) D   Common Stock 10,000 (3) D   Common Stock 10,000 (4) D Â

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Options (Right to Purchase)	  (5)	06/30/2020	Common Stock	15,000	$ 26.18	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Minson Roy E. C/O AEROVIRONMENT, INC. 181 W. HUNTINGTON DRIVE, SUITE 202 MONROVIA, CA 91016	Â	Â	  SVP and GM	Â

Signatures

/s/ Marco Quihuis, Attorney-in-Fact		05/17/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The shares are subject to a right of forfeiture in favor of the Company that lapses with respect to 3,000 shares on each of June 30, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
(2)	The shares are subject to a right of forfeiture in favor of the Company that lapses with respect to 3,000 shares on June 30, 2012.
(3)	The shares are subject to a right of forfeiture in favor of the Company that lapses with respect to 2,000 shares on each of July 11, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
(4)	The shares are subject to a right of forfeiture in favor of the Company that lapses with respect to 2,000 shares on each of April 4, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
(5)	The options vest in five equal annual installments beginning one year from June 30, 2010.

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