sv1za
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2006
Registration No. 333-137658
 
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
 
 
 
Amendment No. 1
to
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of 1933
 
 
 
 
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 
 
 
 
         
California (prior to reincorporation)
Delaware (after reincorporation)
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  3721
(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  95-2705790
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
 
181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 202
Monrovia, CA 91016
(626) 357-9983
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)
 
 
 
 
Timothy E. Conver
President and Chief Executive Officer
AeroVironment, Inc.
181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 202
Monrovia, CA 91016
(626) 357-9983
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
 
 
 
 
Copies to:
 
     
Craig M. Garner, Esq.
Michael E. Sullivan, Esq.
Latham & Watkins LLP
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92130
(858) 523-5400
  Andrew J. Pitts, Esq.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Worldwide Plaza
825 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10019
(212) 474-1000
 
 
 
 
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.
 
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box.  o
 
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o
 
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o
 
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  o
 
If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box.  o
 
 
 
 
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
 
             
Title of Each Class
    Proposed Maximum
    Amount of
of Securities to be Registered     Aggregate Offering Price(1)(2)     Registration Fee
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value
    $115,000,000     $12,305(3)
             
 
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
 
(2) Includes offering price of shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any.
 
(3) Previously paid.
 
 
 
 
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
 


Table of Contents

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
 
Subject to Completion. Dated November 2, 2006.
 
             Shares
 
(AV Inc LOGO)
 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Common Stock
 
 
 
 
This is an initial public offering of shares of common stock of AeroVironment, Inc.
 
AeroVironment, Inc. is offering           of the shares to be sold in the offering. The selling stockholders identified in this prospectus are offering an additional          shares. AeroVironment will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the shares being sold by the selling stockholders.
 
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for the common stock. It is currently estimated that the initial public offering price per share will be between $           and $          . AeroVironment has applied to have the common stock approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “AVAV.”
 
See “Risk Factors” on page 7 to read about factors you should consider before buying shares of the common stock.
 
 
 
 
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
 
 
 
                 
   
Per Share
   
Total
 
 
Initial public offering price
  $           $             
Underwriting discount
  $       $    
Proceeds, before expenses, to AeroVironment, Inc. 
  $       $    
Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders
  $       $  
 
To the extent that the underwriters sell more than           shares of common stock, the underwriters have the option to purchase up to an additional           shares from the selling stockholders at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discount.
 
 
 
 
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares against payment in New York, New York on          , 2006.
 
 
Goldman, Sachs & Co.  
  Friedman Billings Ramsey  
  Jefferies Quarterdeck  
  Raymond James  
  Stifel Nicolaus  
  Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
 
 
 
 
Prospectus dated            , 2006


 

 
No dealer, salesperson or other person is authorized to give any information or to represent anything not contained in this prospectus. You must not rely on any unauthorized information or representations. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of the date of this prospectus.
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
     
   
Page
 
  1
  7
  27
  28
  28
  29
  31
  33
  35
  50
  66
  69
  80
  82
  84
  87
  90
  95
  95
  95
  F-1
 EXHIBIT 3.2
 EXHIBIT 3.4
 EXHIBIT 10.1
 EXHIBIT 10.9
 EXHIBIT 23.1
 
Through and including          , 2006 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.


i


Table of Contents

 
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
 
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in our common stock, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including our financial statements and the related notes included in this prospectus and the information set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” In this prospectus, all references to “AeroVironment,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to AeroVironment, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires or where indicated.
 
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
 
Overview
 
We design, develop, produce and support a technologically-advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft systems that we supply primarily to organizations within the U.S. Department of Defense, and fast charge systems for electric industrial vehicle batteries that we supply to commercial customers. We derive the majority of our revenue from these two business areas, and we believe that both the small unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and fast charge markets are in the early stages of development and have significant growth potential. Additionally, we believe that some of the innovative potential products in our research and development pipeline will emerge as new growth platforms in the future, creating market opportunities. The success we have achieved with our current products stems from our ability to invent and deliver advanced solutions, utilizing our proprietary technologies, that help our government and commercial customers operate more effectively and efficiently. Our core technological capabilities, developed through 35 years of innovation, include lightweight aerostructures and electric propulsion systems, efficient electric energy systems and storage, high-density energy packaging, miniaturization, controls integration and systems engineering optimization. We helped to pioneer and are now a leader in the markets for small UAS and fast charge systems, and we have experienced annual revenue growth rates of 121% and 33% for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively, and a compound annual revenue growth rate of 71% for the three-year period ended April 30, 2006.
 
Our small UAS are well positioned to support the transformational strategy of the U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, the purpose of which is to convert the military into a smaller, more agile force that operates through a network of observation, communication and precision targeting technologies, and its efforts to prosecute the global war on terror, which have increased the need for real-time, visual information in new operational environments. Our small UAS, including Raven, Dragon Eye, Swift, Wasp and Puma, are designed to provide valuable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, directly to the small tactical unit, or individual “warfighter” level, thereby increasing flexibility in mission planning and execution. Our small unmanned aircraft wirelessly transmit critical live video and other information generated by their payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors, enabling the operator to view and capture images, during the day or at night, on a hand-held ground control unit. We also provide training by our highly-skilled instructors, who typically have extensive military experience, and continuous refurbishment and repair services for our products.
 
We designed all of our small UAS to be man-portable, launchable by one person and operated through a hand-held control unit. Our small UAS are electrically powered, configured to carry electro-optical or infrared sensors, provide real-time situational awareness and intelligence, fly quietly at speeds reaching 50 miles per hour and travel up to 20 miles from their launch location on a modular, replaceable battery pack. These characteristics make them well suited for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle damage assessment operations. We believe that our small UAS capabilities, combined with our high level of service, logistical support and training, have enabled us to win both competitively bid U.S. military small UAS programs of record as of July 29, 2006.


1


Table of Contents

 
Our PosiCharge products and services are designed to improve productivity and safety for operators of electric industrial vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground support equipment, by improving battery and fleet management. In multi-shift fleet operations, traditional charging systems require users to exchange vehicle batteries throughout the day because these batteries discharge their energy through vehicle usage and there is insufficient vehicle downtime to recharge them during a shift. Changing these batteries, which can weigh as much as 3,500 pounds, requires labor time and dedicated battery changing rooms that consume valuable floor space. PosiCharge utilizes our proprietary technology in energy and battery management to recharge electric industrial vehicle batteries rapidly during regularly scheduled breaks or other times the vehicle is not in service, eliminating the costly and time-consuming process of removing and replacing the battery. PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional charger. Utilizing its current, voltage and temperature management capabilities, PosiCharge eliminates the need to cool batteries after normal charging, which can take up to eight hours, thereby allowing the vehicles to quickly return to operation after the charging process. These capabilities can also serve to enhance battery performance and lifespan. To date, PosiCharge fast charge systems have been purchased and installed by a diverse group of customers that includes Ford Motor Company, SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA. As of July 29, 2006, our PosiCharge fast charge systems serviced over 5,000 electric industrial vehicles. We estimate that approximately 1.0 million electric industrial vehicles currently operate in North America, including over 100,000 new vehicles that we estimate were shipped in 2005.
 
Research and development activities are integral to our business, and we follow a disciplined approach to investing our resources to create new technologies and solutions. These activities are funded both externally by customers and internally. A fundamental part of this approach is a well-defined screening process that helps business managers identify commercial opportunities that support current or desired technological capabilities. Our UAS research and development activities focus specifically on creating capabilities that support our existing small UAS product portfolio as well as new UAS platforms. Our Energy Technology Center also engages in research and development in support of our existing product lines as well as to develop solutions for other markets such as renewable energy.
 
For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, we generated revenue of $139.4 million, income from operations of $16.3 million and net income of $11.4 million. For the three months ended July 29, 2006, we generated revenue of $31.6 million, income from operations of $2.0 million and net income of $1.4 million. As of July 29, 2006, we had funded backlog of $79.8 million and estimated unfunded backlog of $457.3 million. Funded backlog consists of unfilled firm orders for which funding currently is appropriated to us under the contract by the customer, and unfunded backlog consists of the remaining potential order amounts under indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contracts. IDIQ contracts do not obligate the U.S. government to purchase goods or services.
 
Our Strategy
 
We intend to grow our business by maintaining leadership in the growing markets for small UAS and fast charge systems and by creating new products that enable us to enter and lead new markets. Key components of this strategy include the following:
 
  •  Expand our current solutions to existing and new customers.  Our small UAS and PosiCharge products and services are leaders in their respective North American markets. We intend to increase the penetration of our small UAS products within the U.S. military, the militaries of allied nations and non-military U.S. customers. We believe that the increased use of our small UAS in the U.S. military will be a catalyst for increased demand by allied countries, and that our efforts to pursue new applications will help to create non-military opportunities. We similarly intend to increase the penetration of PosiCharge to existing and new customers in North America and globally. Early adopters of PosiCharge are now deploying it in additional


2


Table of Contents

  facilities throughout their enterprises while its adoption is increasing among new customers and new industry segments, such as food and logistics.
 
  •  Deliver innovative solutions.  Innovation is the primary driver of our growth. We plan to continue research and development efforts to enable us to satisfy our customers through better, more capable products and services, both in response to and in anticipation of their needs. We believe that by continuing to invest in research and development, we will continue to deliver innovative, new products that address market needs within and outside of our current target markets, enabling us to create new opportunities for growth.
 
  •  Foster our entrepreneurial culture and continue to attract, develop and retain highly-skilled personnel.  We have created a corporate culture that encourages innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, which helps to attract highly-skilled professionals. We intend to nurture this culture to encourage the development of the innovative, highly technical solutions that give us our competitive advantage. A core component of our culture is the demonstration of trust and integrity in all of our interactions, contributing to a positive work environment and engendering trust among our customers.
 
  •  Preserve our agility and flexibility.  We are able to respond rapidly to evolving markets and deliver new products and system capabilities quickly, efficiently and affordably. We believe that this ability helps us to strengthen our relationships with customers. We intend to maintain our agility and flexibility, which we believe to be important sources of differentiation when we compete against larger and better-funded competitors.
 
Our History
 
Our company was founded by Dr. Paul B. MacCready, the Chairman of our board of directors and an internationally renowned innovator who was instrumental in creating our culture. For over 35 years, this culture has enabled us to attract and retain highly-motivated, talented employees and has established our reputation as an innovator. This reputation for innovation has been acknowledged through a variety of awards and special citations, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Small Business Innovator award in 2002, a “Cool Companies” award from Fortune Magazine in 2004, the World Technology Award for Energy in 2004, a Sustained Excellence by a Performer award in 2005 from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, and Automotive News’s PACE award in 2006.
 
Corporate Information
 
We were incorporated in California in July 1971 and, in connection with this offering, plan to reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Our principal executive offices are located at 181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 202, Monrovia, California 91016, and our telephone number is (626) 357-9983. Our website address is http://www.avinc.com. The information on, or accessible through, our website is not part of this prospectus and should not be relied upon in determining whether to make an investment in our common stock.
 
AeroVironment® and PosiCharge® are registered trademarks of AeroVironment, Inc. This prospectus also includes other registered and unregistered trademarks of AeroVironment, Inc. and other persons.
 
You should carefully consider the information contained in the “Risk Factors” section of this prospectus beginning on page 7 before you decide to purchase our common stock.


3


Table of Contents

THE OFFERING
 
Common stock offered by AeroVironment            shares
 
Common stock offered by the selling stockholders            shares
 
Common stock to be outstanding after this offering            shares
 
Use of proceeds We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including to finance research and development of new products, sales and marketing activities, opportunistic acquisitions and other capital expenditures. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders. See “Use of Proceeds” for more information.
 
Dividend policy We currently intend to retain all future earnings, if any, for use in the operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
 
Proposed Nasdaq Global Market symbol AVAV
 
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on shares outstanding as of July 29, 2006, assumes the exercise of options to purchase an aggregate of           shares of common stock to be sold by selling stockholders in this offering and excludes the following:
 
  •             shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the remaining options outstanding as of July 29, 2006 at a weighted average exercise price of $     per share; and
 
  •             shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2006 equity incentive plan, which will become effective on the day prior to the day on which we become subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which we refer to herein as the Exchange Act.
 
Except as otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus assumes the following:
 
  •  our reincorporation in Delaware prior to the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part;
 
  •  the exercise of options to purchase an aggregate of           shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $      per share to be sold by selling stockholders in this offering;
 
  •  no exercise by the underwriters of their option to purchase up to an additional           shares of common stock to cover over-allotments;
 
  •  except as provided above, no exercise of outstanding options after July 29, 2006;
 
  •  the filing of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws upon completion of this offering; and
 
  •  a     -for-one stock split of our common stock to be effected before the completion of this offering.


4


Table of Contents

SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
The following table provides a summary of our consolidated financial data for the periods indicated. The summary historical consolidated financial data for each of the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements. The summary historical consolidated financial data for the three months ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements. You should read this information together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes, “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included elsewhere in this prospectus.
 
                                         
                      Three Months Ended  
    Fiscal Year Ended April 30,     July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2005
   
2006
 
                      (Unaudited)  
    (In thousands, except share and per share data)  
 
Consolidated Income Statement Data:
                                       
Revenue
  $ 47,680     $ 105,155     $ 139,357     $ 30,752     $ 31,557  
Cost of sales
    33,122       58,549       82,598       19,516       19,571  
                                         
Gross margin
    14,558       46,606       56,759       11,236       11,986  
                                         
Research and development
    1,715       9,799       16,098       3,509       3,841  
Selling, general and administrative
    9,725       16,545       24,577       5,822       6,132  
                                         
Income from operations
    3,118       20,262       16,084       1,905       2,013  
Interest income
    2       61       333       37       206  
Interest expense
    (90 )     (110 )     (127 )     (30 )      
                                         
Income before income taxes
    3,030       20,213       16,290       1,912       2,219  
Income tax expense
    859       5,531       4,881       574       854  
                                         
Net income
  $ 2,171     $ 14,682     $ 11,409     $ 1,338     $ 1,365  
                                         
Earnings per common share(1):
                                       
Basic
  $       $       $       $       $    
Diluted
  $       $       $       $       $    
Weighted average common shares outstanding(1):
                                       
Basic
                                       
Diluted
                                       
Pro forma earnings per common share(1)(2):
                                       
Basic
  $       $       $       $       $    
Diluted
  $       $       $       $       $    
Pro forma weighted average common shares outstanding(1)(2):
                                       
Basic
                                       
Diluted
                                       
 


5


Table of Contents

                 
    As of July 29, 2006  
   
Actual
   
As Adjusted(3)
 
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:   (Unaudited, in thousands)  
 
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 13,478     $             
Restricted cash(4)
    1,555          
Working capital
    30,243          
Total assets
    55,776          
Total liabilities
    19,850          
Total stockholders’ equity
    35,926          
 
(1) Earnings per common share and weighted average common shares outstanding give effect to a       -for-one split of our common stock to be effected prior to the completion of this offering.
 
(2) Pro forma earnings per common share and pro forma weighted average common shares outstanding give effect to our sale of           shares of our common stock in connection with this offering, as if such transaction was completed on May 1, 2005.
 
(3) The as adjusted consolidated balance sheet data reflect the issuance of           shares of common stock upon the exercise of options at a weighted average exercise price of $      per share to be sold by selling stockholders in this offering and our receipt of estimated net proceeds from our sale of           shares of common stock that we are offering at an assumed public offering price of $      per share (the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus), after deducting estimated discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
 
(4) Restricted cash represents deposits with a bank to secure standby letters of credit established for the benefit of our customers. As of July 29, 2006, there were no claims against these letters of credit.

6


Table of Contents

 
RISK FACTORS
 
Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, as well as the other information in this prospectus, before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. If any of the following risks actually materializes, then our business, financial condition and results of operations would suffer. The trading price of our common stock could decline as a result of any of these risks, and you might lose all or part of your investment in our common stock. You should read the section entitled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” immediately following these risk factors for a discussion of what types of statements are forward-looking statements, as well as the significance of such statements in the context of this prospectus.
 
Risks Related to Our Business
 
We rely heavily on sales to the U.S. government, particularly to agencies of the Department of Defense.
 
Historically, a significant portion of our total sales and substantially all of our small UAS sales have been to the U.S. government and its agencies. Sales to the U.S. government, either as a prime contractor or subcontractor, represented approximately 82% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. The U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, our principal U.S. government customer, accounted for approximately 77% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. We believe that the success and growth of our business for the foreseeable future will continue to depend on our ability to win government contracts, in particular from the DoD. Many of our government customers are subject to budgetary constraints and our continued performance under these contracts, or award of additional contracts from these agencies, could be jeopardized by spending reductions or budget cutbacks at these agencies. The funding of U.S. government programs is uncertain and dependent on continued congressional appropriations and administrative allotment of funds based on an annual budgeting process. We cannot assure you that current levels of congressional funding for our products and services will continue. Furthermore, all of our contracts with the U.S. government are terminable by the U.S. government at will. A significant decline in government expenditures generally, or with respect to programs for which we provide products, could adversely affect our business and prospects. Our operating results may also be negatively impacted by other developments that affect these government programs generally, including the following:
 
  •  changes in government programs that are related to our products and services;
 
  •  adoption of new laws or regulations relating to government contracting or changes to existing laws or regulations;
 
  •  changes in political or public support for security and defense programs;
 
  •  delays or changes in the government appropriations process;
 
  •  uncertainties associated with the war on terror and other geo-political matters; and
 
  •  delays in the payment of our invoices by government payment offices.
 
These developments and other factors could cause governmental agencies to reduce their purchases under existing contracts, to exercise their rights to terminate contracts at-will or to abstain from renewing contracts, any of which would cause our revenue to decline and could otherwise harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.


7


Table of Contents

 
Military transformation and operational levels in Afghanistan and Iraq may affect future procurement priorities and existing programs, which could limit demand for our unmanned aircraft systems.
 
Following the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military began a transformation of its operational concepts, organizational structure and technologies in an effort to improve warfighting capabilities. The resulting shift in procurement priorities toward achieving these capabilities, together with the current high level of operational activity in Afghanistan and Iraq, have led to an increase in demand for our small UAS. We cannot predict whether current or future changes in priorities due to defense transformation or continuation of the current nature and magnitude of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq will afford new opportunities for our small UAS business in terms of existing, additional or replacement programs. Furthermore, we cannot predict whether or to what extent this defense transformation or current operational levels in Afghanistan or Iraq will continue. If defense transformation or operations in Afghanistan and Iraq cease or slow down, then our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed.
 
We operate in evolving markets, which makes it difficult to evaluate our business and future prospects.
 
Unmanned aircraft systems, fast charge systems and other energy technologies that we offer are sold in new and rapidly evolving markets. Accordingly, our business and future prospects are difficult to evaluate. We cannot accurately predict the extent to which demand for our products will increase, if at all. Prior to investing, you should consider the challenges, risks and uncertainties frequently encountered by companies in rapidly evolving markets. These challenges include our ability to do the following:
 
  •  generate sufficient revenue to maintain profitability;
 
  •  acquire and maintain market share;
 
  •  manage growth in our operations;
 
  •  develop and renew contracts;
 
  •  attract and retain additional engineers and other highly-qualified personnel;
 
  •  successfully develop and commercially market new products;
 
  •  adapt to new or changing policies and spending priorities of governments and government agencies; and
 
  •  access additional capital when required and on reasonable terms.
 
If we fail to address these and other challenges, risks and uncertainties successfully, our business, results of operations and financial condition would be materially harmed.
 
We face competition from other firms, many of which have substantially greater resources.
 
The defense industry is highly competitive and generally characterized by intense competition to win contracts. Our current principal small UAS competitors include Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc., Applied Research Associates, Inc., Elbit Systems Ltd., L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corporation. We do not view large UAS such as Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Global Hawk, General Atomics, Inc.’s Predator, The Boeing Company’s ScanEagle and AAI Corporation’s Shadow as direct competitors because they perform different missions and are not hand launched and controlled, although we cannot be certain that these platforms will not become direct competitors in the future. Some of these firms have substantially greater financial, management, research and marketing resources than we have. The primary direct competitors to our PosiCharge business are other fast charge suppliers, including Aker Wade Power Technologies LLC, Minit-Charger, a subsidiary of Edison International, and PowerDesigners, LLC, as well as industrial battery


8


Table of Contents

manufacturers who distribute fast charge systems from these suppliers. Our competitors may be able to provide customers with different or greater capabilities or benefits than we can provide in areas such as technical qualifications, past contract performance, geographic presence, price and the availability of key professional personnel, including those with security clearances. Furthermore, many of our competitors may be able to utilize their substantially greater resources and economies of scale to develop competing products and technologies, divert sales away from us by winning broader contracts or hire away our employees by offering more lucrative compensation packages. In the event that the market for unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, expands, we expect that competition will intensify as additional competitors enter the market and current competitors expand their product lines. In order to secure contracts successfully when competing with larger, well-financed companies, we may be forced to agree to contractual terms that provide for lower aggregate payments to us over the life of the contract, which could adversely affect our margins. In addition, larger diversified competitors serving as prime contractors may be able to supply underlying products and services from affiliated entities, which would prevent us from competing for subcontracting opportunities on these contracts. Our failure to compete effectively with respect to any of these or other factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition or operating results.
 
If the unmanned aircraft systems and fast charge systems markets do not experience significant growth, if we cannot expand our customer base or if our products do not achieve broad acceptance, then we will not be able to achieve our anticipated level of growth.
 
For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, unmanned aircraft systems and fast charge systems accounted for 80% and 14% of our total revenue, respectively. We cannot accurately predict the future growth rates or sizes of these markets. Demand for these types of systems may not increase, or may decrease, either generally or in specific markets, for particular types of products or during particular time periods. Moreover, there are only a limited number of major programs under which the U.S. military, our primary customer, is currently funding the development or purchase of unmanned aircraft systems. Although we are seeking to expand our customer base to include foreign governments, domestic non-military agencies and commercial customers, we cannot assure you that our efforts will be successful. The expansion of the unmanned aircraft systems and fast charge systems markets in general, and the market for our products in particular, depends on a number of factors, including the following:
 
  •  customer satisfaction with these types of systems as solutions;
 
  •  the cost, performance and reliability of our products and products offered by our competitors;
 
  •  customer perceptions regarding the effectiveness and value of these types of systems;
 
  •  limitations on our ability to market our small UAS products outside the United States due to U.S. government regulations;
 
  •  obtaining timely regulatory approvals, including, with respect to our small UAS business, access to airspace and wireless spectrum; and
 
  •  marketing efforts and publicity regarding these types of systems.
 
Even if unmanned aircraft systems and fast charge systems gain wide market acceptance, our products may not adequately address market requirements and may not continue to gain market acceptance. If these types of systems generally, or our products specifically, do not gain wide market acceptance, then we may not be able to achieve our anticipated level of growth and our revenue and results of operations would suffer.


9


Table of Contents

If critical components of our products that we currently purchase from a small number of suppliers or raw materials used to manufacture our products become scarce or unavailable, then we may incur delays in manufacturing and delivery of our products, which could damage our business.
 
We obtain hardware components and various subsystems from a limited group of suppliers. We do not have long-term agreements with any of these suppliers that obligate them to continue to sell components or products to us. For example, L-3 Communications Holdings Inc., which is one of our competitors, and Rockwell Collins are currently the sole suppliers of our downlink transmitters/receivers and GPS modules, respectively, for several of our small UAS products, including Raven. In addition, Miller Electric is the sole supplier of the power sources for the PosiCharge ELT product line, and Bruno Bassi is the sole supplier of the PosiCharge SVS product line. We also have several sole suppliers of PosiCharge components and subsystems, such as Accurate Electronics, which supplies multiple items, including display panels and power stages. Our reliance on these suppliers involves significant risks and uncertainties, including whether our suppliers will provide an adequate supply of required components of sufficient quality, will increase prices for the components and will perform their obligations on a timely basis.
 
In addition, certain raw materials and components used in the manufacture of our products are periodically subject to supply shortages, and our business is subject to the risk of price increases and periodic delays in delivery. For example, the airframes for our small UAS are made from certain nylon composites, which experienced restrictions in available supply in 2005 due to increased worldwide demand. Similarly, the market for electronic components is subject to cyclical reductions in supply. If we are unable to obtain components from third-party suppliers in the quantities and of the quality that we require, on a timely basis and at acceptable prices, then we may not be able to deliver our products on a timely or cost-effective basis to our customers, which could cause customers to terminate their contracts with us, increase our costs and seriously harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, if any of our suppliers become financially unstable, then we may have to find new suppliers. It may take several months to locate alternative suppliers, if required, or to redesign our products to accommodate components from different suppliers. We may experience significant delays in manufacturing and shipping our products to customers and incur additional development, manufacturing and other costs to establish alternative sources of supply if we lose any of these sources or are required to redesign our products. We cannot predict if we will be able to obtain replacement components within the time frames that we require at an affordable cost, if at all.
 
Any efforts to expand our product offerings beyond our current markets may not succeed, which could negatively impact our operating results.
 
We have focused on selling our small unmanned aircraft systems to the U.S. military and our fast charge systems to large industrial electric vehicle fleet operators primarily in North America. We plan, however, to seek to expand our unmanned aircraft systems sales into other government and commercial markets and our fast charge systems sales into international markets. Efforts to expand our product offerings beyond the markets that we currently serve may divert management resources from existing operations and require us to commit significant financial resources to unproven businesses that may not generate additional sales, either of which could significantly impair our operating results.


10


Table of Contents

Our failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration may prevent us from expanding the sales of our small UAS to non-military customers in the United States and require us to incur additional costs in the testing of our products.
 
Regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, currently require that small UAS comply with the rules for radio-controlled hobby aircraft. These rules require small UAS to maintain flight altitude within 400 feet above the ground, and operators to maintain line of sight with the aircraft at all times it is in flight. These regulations prevent or inhibit the use of our small UAS in certain civil and commercial applications. The FAA is in the process of drafting updated regulations specifically for small UAS operations, but we cannot assure you that these regulations will allow the use of our small UAS by potential civilian and commercial customers. If the FAA does not modify its regulations to enable the civilian and commercial use of small UAS, we may not be able to expand our sales of UAS beyond our military customers, which could harm our business prospects.
 
Recently, the Defense Contract Management Agency, or DCMA, informed us that, under the terms of our DoD contracts, the government parties with whom we are contracting are required to obtain a certificate of authorization for flight tests of our small UAS outside of military installations. If our DoD customers are unable to obtain such a certificate, we may not be able to perform our flight tests without incurring the additional costs of transporting our small UAS products to military installations, which could impair our operating results.
 
The markets in which we compete are characterized by rapid technological change, which requires us to develop new products and product enhancements, and could render our existing products obsolete.
 
Continuing technological changes in the market for our products could make our products less competitive or obsolete, either generally or for particular applications. Our future success will depend upon our ability to develop and introduce a variety of new capabilities and enhancements to our existing product offerings, as well as introduce a variety of new product offerings, to address the changing needs of the markets in which we offer our products. Delays in introducing new products and enhancements, the failure to choose correctly among technical alternatives or the failure to offer innovative products or enhancements at competitive prices may cause existing and potential customers to purchase our competitors’ products.
 
If we are unable to devote adequate resources to develop new products or cannot otherwise successfully develop new products or enhancements that meet customer requirements on a timely basis, our products could lose market share, our revenue and profits could decline, and we could experience operating losses.
 
We expect to incur substantial research and development costs and devote significant resources to identifying and commercializing new products, which could significantly reduce our profitability and may never result in revenue to us.
 
Our future growth depends on penetrating new markets, adapting existing products to new applications, and introducing new products that achieve market acceptance. We plan to incur substantial research and development costs as part of our efforts to design, develop and commercialize new products and enhance existing products. We spent $16.1 million, or 12% of our revenue, in fiscal year 2006 on research and development activities and expect to continue to spend significant funds on research and development in the future. We expect to utilize a portion of the proceeds of this offering and cash flow from operations to fund our research and development, although we may also utilize borrowings or other external funding in the future. Because we account for research and development as an operating expense, these expenditures will adversely affect our earnings in the future. Further, our research and development program may not produce successful results, and our new products may not achieve market acceptance, create additional revenue or become profitable, which could materially harm our business, prospects, financial results and liquidity.


11


Table of Contents

If we are unable to manage our growth, our business could be adversely affected.
 
Our headcount and operations have grown rapidly. This rapid growth has placed, and will continue to place, a significant strain on our management and our administrative, operational and financial infrastructure. From January 2004 through July 2006, we nearly doubled the number of our employees. We anticipate further growth of headcount and facilities will be required to address increases in our product offerings and the geographic scope of our customer base. Our success will depend in part upon the ability of our senior management to manage this growth effectively. To do so, we must continue to hire, train, manage and integrate a significant number of qualified managers and engineers. If our new employees perform poorly, or if we are unsuccessful in hiring, training, managing and integrating these new employees, or retaining these or our existing employees, then our business may suffer.
 
For us to continue our growth, we must continue to improve our operational, financial and management information systems. If we are unable to manage our growth while maintaining our quality of service, or if new systems that we implement to assist in managing our growth do not produce the expected benefits, then our business, prospects, financial condition or operating results could be adversely affected.
 
Our earnings and profit margins may decrease based on the mix of our contracts and programs and other factors related to our contracts.
 
In general, we perform our production work under fixed-price contracts and our repair and customer-funded research and development work under cost-plus-fee contracts. Under fixed-price contracts, we perform services under a contract at a stipulated price. Under cost-plus-fee contracts, which are subject to a contract ceiling amount, we are reimbursed for allowable costs and paid a fee, which may be fixed or performance based. We typically experience lower profit margins under cost-plus-fee contracts than under fixed-price contracts, though fixed-price contracts have higher risks. In general, if the volume of services we perform under cost-plus-fee contracts increases relative to the volume of services we perform under fixed-price contracts, we expect that our operating margin will suffer. In addition, our earnings and margins may decrease depending on the costs we incur in contract performance, our achievement of other contract performance objectives and the stage of our performance at which our right to receive fees, particularly under incentive and award fee contracts, is finally determined.
 
Our senior management and key employees are important to our customer relationships and overall business.
 
We believe that our success depends in part on the continued contributions of our senior management and key employees. We rely on our executive officers, senior management and key employees to generate business and execute programs successfully. In addition, the relationships and reputation that members of our management team and key employees have established and maintain with government defense personnel contribute to our ability to maintain good customer relations and to identify new business opportunities. We do not have employment agreements with any of our executive officers or key employees, and these individuals could terminate their employment with us at any time. The loss of any of our executive officers, members of our senior management team or key employees could significantly delay or prevent the achievement of our business objectives and could materially harm our business and customer relationships and impair our ability to identify and secure new contracts and otherwise manage our business.
 
We must recruit and retain highly-skilled employees to succeed in our competitive business.
 
We depend on our ability to recruit and retain employees who have advanced engineering and technical services skills and who work well with our customers. These employees are in great demand and are likely to remain a limited resource in the foreseeable future. If we are unable to recruit and


12


Table of Contents

retain a sufficient number of these employees, then our ability to maintain our competitiveness and grow our business could be negatively affected. In addition, because of the highly technical nature of our products, the loss of any significant number of our existing engineering personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results. Moreover, some of our U.S. government contracts contain provisions requiring us to staff a program with certain personnel the customer considers key to our successful performance under the contract. In the event we are unable to provide these key personnel or acceptable substitutes, the customer may terminate the contract.
 
Our business may be dependent upon our employees obtaining and maintaining required security clearances.
 
Certain of our U.S. government contracts require our employees to maintain various levels of security clearances, and we are required to maintain certain facility security clearances complying with DoD requirements. The DoD has strict security clearance requirements for personnel who work on classified programs. Obtaining and maintaining security clearances for employees involves a lengthy process, and it is difficult to identify, recruit and retain employees who already hold security clearances. If our employees are unable to obtain security clearances in a timely manner, or at all, or if our employees who hold security clearances are unable to maintain the clearances or terminate employment with us, then a customer requiring classified work could terminate the contract or decide not to renew it upon its expiration. In addition, we expect that many of the contracts on which we will bid will require us to demonstrate our ability to obtain facility security clearances and employ personnel with specified types of security clearances. To the extent we are not able to obtain facility security clearances or engage employees with the required security clearances for a particular contract, we may not be able to bid on or win new contracts, or effectively rebid on expiring contracts.
 
Cost overruns on our contracts could subject us to losses, decrease our operating margins and adversely affect our future business.
 
Fixed-price contracts represented approximately 69% of our revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. If we fail to anticipate technical problems, estimate costs accurately or control costs during our performance of fixed-price contracts, then we may incur losses on these contracts because we absorb any costs in excess of the fixed price. Under cost-plus-fee contracts, if costs exceed the contract ceiling or are not allowable under the provisions of the contract or applicable regulations, then we may not be able to obtain reimbursement for all such costs. Under time and materials contracts, we are paid for labor at negotiated hourly billing rates and for certain expenses. Under each type of contract, if we are unable to control the costs we incur in performing under the contract, then our financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. Cost overruns also may adversely affect our ability to sustain existing programs and obtain future contract awards.
 
Our products are complex and could have unknown defects or errors, which may give rise to claims against us, diminish our brand or divert our resources from other purposes.
 
Our unmanned aircraft systems rely on complex avionics, sensors, user-friendly interfaces and tightly-integrated, electromechanical designs to accomplish their missions, and our fast charge systems and energy systems often rely upon the application of intellectual property for which there may have been little or no prior commercial application. Despite testing, our products have contained defects and errors and may in the future contain defects, errors or performance problems when first introduced, when new versions or enhancements are released, or even after these products have been used by our customers for a period of time. These problems could result in expensive and time-consuming design modifications or warranty charges, delays in the introduction of new products or enhancements, significant increases in our service and maintenance costs, exposure to liability for damages, damaged customer relationships and harm to our reputation, any of which could materially harm our results of operations and ability to achieve market acceptance. In addition, increased development and warranty costs could be substantial and could reduce our operating margins.


13


Table of Contents

The existence of any defects, errors, or failures in our products or the misuse of our products could also lead to product liability claims or lawsuits against us. A defect, error or failure in one of our unmanned aircraft systems could result in injury, death or property damage and significantly damage our reputation and support for unmanned aircraft systems in general. While our fast charge systems include certain safety mechanisms, these systems can deliver up to 600 amps of current in their application, and the failure, malfunction or misuse of these systems could result in injury or death. Although we maintain insurance policies, we cannot assure you that this insurance will be adequate to protect us from all material judgments and expenses related to potential future claims or that these levels of insurance will be available in the future at economical prices or at all. A successful product liability claim could result in substantial cost to us. Even if we are fully insured as it relates to a claim, the claim could nevertheless diminish our brand and divert management’s attention and resources, which could have a negative impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
  The operation of unmanned aircraft systems in urban environments may be subject to risks, such as accidental collisions and transmission interference, which may limit demand for our unmanned aircraft systems in such environments and harm our business and operating results.
 
Urban environments may present certain challenges to the operators of unmanned aircraft systems. Unmanned aircraft systems may accidentally collide with other aircraft, persons or property, which could result in injury, death or property damage and significantly damage the reputation of and support for unmanned aircraft systems in general. While we are aware of only one instance of an accidental collision involving an unmanned aircraft system to date, as the usage of unmanned aircraft systems has increased, particularly by military customers in urban areas of Afghanistan and Iraq, the danger of such collisions has increased. Furthermore, the number of unmanned aircraft systems that can operate simultaneously in a given geographic area is limited by the allocated frequency spectrum available. In addition, obstructions to effective transmissions in urban environments, such as large buildings, may limit the ability of the operator to utilize the aircraft for its intended purpose. The risks or limitations of operating unmanned aircraft systems in urban environments may limit their value in such environments, which may limit demand for our unmanned aircraft systems and consequently materially harm our business and operating results.
 
Our quarterly operating results may vary widely.
 
Our quarterly revenue, cash flow and operating results have and may continue to fluctuate significantly in the future due to a number of factors, including the following:
 
  •  fluctuations in revenue derived from government contracts, including cost-plus-fee contracts and contracts with a performance-based fee structure;
 
  •  the size and timing of orders from military and other governmental agencies, including increased purchase requests from government customers for equipment and materials in connection with the U.S. government’s fiscal year end, which may affect our second quarter operating results;
 
  •  the mix of products that we sell in the period;
 
  •  seasonal fluctuations in customer demand for some of our products or services;
 
  •  unanticipated costs incurred in the introduction of new products;
 
  •  fluctuations in the adoption of our products in new markets;
 
  •  changes in the level of tax credits available for research and development spending, including whether the federal research and development tax credit which expired in December 2005 will be reinstated;
 
  •  cancellations, delays or contract amendments by our governmental agency customers; and


14


Table of Contents

 
  •  changes in policy or budgetary measures that adversely affect our governmental agency customers.
 
Changes in the volume of products and services provided under existing contracts and the number of contracts commenced, completed or terminated during any quarter may cause significant variations in our cash flow from operations because a relatively large amount of our expenses are fixed. We incur significant operating expenses during the start-up and early stages of large contracts and typically do not receive corresponding payments in that same quarter. We may also incur significant or unanticipated expenses when contracts expire or are terminated or are not renewed. In addition, payments due to us from government agencies may be delayed due to billing cycles or as a result of failures of governmental budgets to gain congressional and presidential administration approval in a timely manner.
 
Shortfalls in available external research and development funding could adversely affect us.
 
We depend on our research and development activities to develop the core technologies used in our small UAS and PosiCharge products and for the development of our future products. A portion of our research and development activities depends on funding by commercial companies and the U.S. government. U.S. government and commercial spending levels can be impacted by a number of variables, including general economic conditions, specific companies’ financial performance and competition for U.S. government funding with other U.S. government-sponsored programs in the budget formulation and appropriation processes. Moreover, the U.S., state and local governments provide energy rebates and incentives to commercial companies, which directly impact the amount of research and development that companies appropriate for energy systems. To the extent that these energy rebates and incentives are reduced or eliminated, company funding for research and development could be reduced. Any reductions in available research and development funding could harm our business, financial condition and operating results.
 
Volatility and cyclicality in the market for electric industrial vehicles could adversely affect us.
 
Our PosiCharge fast charge systems, which accounted for 14% of our revenue during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, are purchased primarily by operators of fleets of electric industrial vehicles, such as forklift trucks and airport ground support equipment. Consequently, our ability to remain profitable depends in part on the varying conditions in the market for electric industrial vehicles. This market is subject to volatility as it moves in response to cycles in the overall business environment and is also particularly sensitive to the industrial, food and beverage, retail and air travel sectors, which generate a significant portion of the demand for such vehicles. Sales of electric industrial vehicles have historically been cyclical, with demand affected by such economic factors as industrial production, construction levels, demand for consumer and durable goods, interest rates and fuel costs. A significant decline in demand for electric industrial vehicles could adversely affect our revenue and prospects, which would harm our business, financial condition and operating results.
 
Our fast charge business is dependent upon our relationships with battery dealers and other third parties with whom we do not have exclusive arrangements.
 
To remain competitive in the market for fast charge systems, we must maintain our access to potential customers and ensure that the service needs of our customers are met adequately. In many cases, we rely on battery dealers for access to potential PosiCharge customers. Currently, one of our fast charge system competitors is working with a battery manufacturer to sell fast charge systems and batteries together. Cooperative agreements between our competitors and battery manufacturers could restrict our access to battery dealers and potential PosiCharge customers, adversely affecting our revenue and prospects. Additionally, we rely on outside service providers to perform post-sale services for our PosiCharge customers. If these service providers fail to perform these services as required or discontinue their business with us, then we could lose customers to competitors, which would harm our business, financial condition and operating results.


15


Table of Contents

We work in international locations where there are high security risks, which could result in harm to our employees and contractors or substantial costs.
 
Some of our services are performed in high-risk locations, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, where the country or location is suffering from political, social or economic issues, or war or civil unrest. For example, we currently maintain a forward operating depot in Iraq, located in a U.S. government installation and typically staffed by two or three of our employees. In addition, we have occasionally had one trainer stationed in Kuwait and are obligated, pursuant to one of our contracts, to provide overseas support personnel as needed. Last year, pursuant to this contract, we had three trainers stationed overseas for a period of 30 days. In those locations where we have employees or operations, we may incur substantial costs to maintain the safety of our personnel. Despite these precautions, the safety of our personnel in these locations may continue to be at risk, and we may in the future suffer the loss of employees and contractors, which could harm our business and operating results.
 
We may not be able to obtain capital when desired on favorable terms, if at all, or without dilution to our stockholders.
 
We operate in emerging and rapidly evolving markets, which makes our prospects difficult to evaluate. It is possible that we may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations or otherwise have the capital resources to meet our future capital needs. If this occurs, then we may need additional financing to pursue our business strategies, including to:
 
  •  hire additional engineers and other personnel;
 
  •  develop new or enhance existing products;
 
  •  enhance our operating infrastructure;
 
  •  fund working capital requirements;
 
  •  acquire complementary businesses or technologies; or
 
  •  otherwise respond to competitive pressures.
 
If we raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the percentage ownership of our stockholders could be significantly diluted, and these newly-issued securities may have rights, preferences or privileges senior to those of existing stockholders, including those acquiring shares in this offering. We cannot assure you that additional financing will be available on terms favorable to us, or at all. Our existing line of credit contains, and future debt financing may contain, covenants or other provisions that limit our operational or financial flexibility. In addition, certain of our customers require that we obtain letters of credit to support our obligations under some of our contracts. Our existing letter-of-credit provider requires that we hold cash in an amount equal to the amount of our outstanding letters of credit as collateral. Continued access to letters of credit may be important to our ability to regain and win contracts in the future. If adequate funds are not available or are not available on acceptable terms, if and when needed, then our ability to fund our operations, take advantage of unanticipated opportunities, develop or enhance our products, or otherwise respond to competitive pressures would be significantly limited.
 
Our international business poses potentially greater risks than our domestic business.
 
We derived an average of 3.7% of our revenue from international sales during the three fiscal years ended April 30, 2006. We expect to derive an increasing portion of our revenue from international sales. Our international revenue and operations are subject to a number of material risks, including the following:
 
  •  the unavailability of, or difficulties in obtaining any, necessary governmental authorizations for the export of our UAS products to certain foreign jurisdictions;


16


Table of Contents

 
  •  changes in regulatory requirements that may adversely affect our ability to sell certain products or repatriate profits to the United States;
 
  •  the complexity and necessity of using foreign representatives and consultants;
 
  •  difficulties in enforcing agreements and collecting receivables through foreign legal systems and other relevant legal issues, including fewer legal protections for intellectual property;
 
  •  potential fluctuations in foreign economies and in the value of foreign currencies and interest rates;
 
  •  potential preferences by prospective customers to purchase from local (non-U.S.) sources;
 
  •  general economic and political conditions in the markets in which we operate;
 
  •  laws or regulations relating to non-U.S. military contracts that favor purchases from non-U.S. manufacturers over U.S. manufacturers;
 
  •  the imposition of tariffs, embargoes, export controls and other trade restrictions; and
 
  •  different and changing legal and regulatory requirements in the jurisdictions in which we currently operate or may operate in the future.
 
Negative developments in any of these areas in one or more countries could result in a reduction in demand for our products, the cancellation or delay of orders already placed, threats to our intellectual property, difficulty in collecting receivables and a higher cost of doing business, any of which could negatively impact our business, financial condition or results of operations. Moreover, our sales, including sales to customers outside the United States, are denominated in dollars, and downward fluctuations in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar may make our products more expensive than other products, which could harm our business.
 
Potential future acquisitions could be difficult to integrate, divert the attention of key personnel, disrupt our business, dilute stockholder value and impair our financial results.
 
We intend to consider strategic acquisitions that would add to our customer base, technological capabilities or system offerings. Acquisitions involve numerous risks, any of which could harm our business, including the following:
 
  •  difficulties in integrating the operations, technologies, products, existing contracts, accounting and personnel of the target company and realizing the anticipated synergies of the combined businesses;
 
  •  difficulties in supporting and transitioning customers, if any, of the target company;
 
  •  diversion of financial and management resources from existing operations;
 
  •  the price we pay or other resources that we devote may exceed the value we realize, or the value we could have realized if we had allocated the purchase price or other resources to another opportunity;
 
  •  risks of entering new markets in which we have limited or no experience;
 
  •  potential loss of key employees, customers and strategic alliances from either our current business or the target company’s business;
 
  •  assumption of unanticipated problems or latent liabilities, such as problems with the quality of the target company’s products; and
 
  •  inability to generate sufficient revenue to offset acquisition costs.
 
Acquisitions also frequently result in the recording of goodwill and other intangible assets which are subject to potential impairments in the future that could harm our financial results. In addition, if


17


Table of Contents

we finance acquisitions by issuing equity, or securities convertible into equity, then our existing stockholders may be diluted, which could lower the market price of our common stock. If we finance acquisitions through debt, then such future debt financing may contain covenants or other provisions that limit our operational or financial flexibility. As a result, if we fail to properly evaluate acquisitions or investments, then we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of any such acquisitions, and we may incur costs in excess of what we anticipate. The failure to successfully evaluate and execute acquisitions or investments or otherwise adequately address these risks could materially harm our business and financial results.
 
Environmental laws and regulations and unforeseen costs could impact our future earnings.
 
The manufacture and sale of our products in certain states and countries may subject us to environmental and other regulations. For example, we obtain a significant number of our electronics components from companies located in East Asia, where environmental rules may be less stringent than in the United States. Over time, the countries where these companies are located may adopt more stringent environmental regulations, resulting in an increase in our manufacturing costs. Furthermore, certain environmental laws, including the U.S. Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, impose strict, joint and several liability on current and previous owners or operators of real property for the cost of removal or remediation of hazardous substances and impose liability for damages to natural resources. These laws often impose liability even if the owner or operator did not know of, or was not responsible for, the release of such hazardous substances. These environmental laws also assess liability on persons who arrange for hazardous substances to be sent to disposal or treatment facilities when such facilities are found to be contaminated. Such persons can be responsible for cleanup costs even if they never owned or operated the contaminated facility. Although we have not yet been named a responsible party at a contaminated site, we could be named a potentially responsible party in the future. We cannot assure you that such existing laws or future laws will not have a material adverse effect on our future earnings or results of operations.
 
Our business and operations are subject to the risks of earthquakes and other natural catastrophic events.
 
Our corporate headquarters, research and development and manufacturing operations are located in Southern California, a region known for seismic activity and wild fires. A significant natural disaster, such as an earthquake, fire or other catastrophic event, could severely affect our ability to conduct normal business operations, and as a result, our future operating results could be materially and adversely affected.
 
Risks Related to Our U.S. Government Contracts
 
We are subject to extensive government regulation, and our failure to comply with applicable regulations could subject us to penalties that may restrict our ability to conduct our business.
 
As a contractor to the U.S. government, we are subject to and must comply with various government regulations that impact our revenue, operating costs, profit margins and the internal organization and operation of our business. The most significant regulations and regulatory authorities affecting our business include the following:
 
  •  the Federal Acquisition Regulations and supplemental agency regulations, which comprehensively regulate the formation and administration of, and performance under, U.S. government contracts;
 
  •  the Truth in Negotiations Act, which requires certification and disclosure of all factual cost and pricing data in connection with contract negotiations;


18


Table of Contents

 
  •  the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits U.S. companies from providing anything of value to a foreign official to help obtain, retain or direct business, or obtain any unfair advantage;
 
  •  the False Claims Act and the False Statements Act, which impose penalties for payments made on the basis of false facts provided to the government and on the basis of false statements made to the government, respectively;
 
  •  the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Federal Communications Commission, which regulate the wireless spectrum allocations upon which UAS depend for operation and data transmission in the United States;
 
  •  the Federal Aviation Administration, which is in the process of drafting regulations specifically for small UAS operation in the United States;
 
  •  the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which regulate the export of controlled technical data, defense articles and defense services and restrict from which countries we may purchase materials and services used in the production of certain of our products; and
 
  •  laws, regulations and executive orders restricting the use and dissemination of information classified for national security purposes and the exportation of certain products and technical data.
 
Also, we need special security clearances and regulatory approvals to continue working on certain of our projects with the U.S. government. Classified programs generally will require that we comply with various executive orders, federal laws and regulations and customer security requirements that may include restrictions on how we develop, store, protect and share information, and may require our employees to obtain government security clearances. Our failure to comply with applicable regulations, rules and approvals or misconduct by any of our employees could result in the imposition of fines and penalties, the loss of security clearances, the loss of our government contracts or our suspension or debarment from contracting with the U.S. government generally, any of which would harm our business, financial condition and results of operations. We are also subject to certain regulations of comparable government agencies in other countries, and our failure to comply with these non-U.S. regulations could also harm our business, financial condition or results of operations.
 
Our business could be adversely affected by a negative audit by the U.S. government.
 
U.S. government agencies, primarily the Defense Contract Audit Agency and the Defense Contract Management Agency, routinely audit and investigate government contractors. These agencies review a contractor’s performance under its contracts, cost structure and compliance with applicable laws, regulations and standards. These agencies also may review the adequacy of, and a contractor’s compliance with, its internal control systems and policies, including the contractor’s purchasing, property, estimating, compensation and management information systems. Any costs found to be improperly allocated to a specific contract will not be reimbursed, while such costs already reimbursed must be refunded. If an audit of our business were to uncover improper or illegal activities, then we could be subject to civil and criminal penalties and administrative sanctions, including termination of contracts, forfeiture of profits, suspension of payments, fines and suspension or prohibition from doing business with the U.S. government. In addition, we could suffer serious harm to our reputation if allegations of impropriety or illegal acts were made against us, even if the allegations were inaccurate. If any of the foregoing were to occur, our financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected.
 
We were recently audited by the DCMA with respect to our system for the care, control and accountability of government property. The DCMA identified certain corrective actions to be taken with respect to our system, which we have implemented. Although we successfully implemented these corrective actions, we cannot assure you that the DCMA will not require additional corrective actions in the future. The failure to comply with requirements for government contractors in the future would


19


Table of Contents

adversely affect our ability to do business with the U.S. government and could harm our business and operating results.
 
Some of our contracts with the U.S. government allow it to use inventions developed under the contracts and to disclose technical data to third parties, which could harm our ability to compete.
 
Some of our contracts allow the U.S. government to use, royalty-free, or have others use, inventions developed under those contracts on behalf of the government. Some of the contracts allow the federal government to disclose technical data without constraining the recipient on how those data are used. The ability of third parties to use patents and technical data for government purposes creates the possibility that the government could attempt to establish alternative suppliers or to negotiate with us to reduce our prices. The potential that the government may release some of the technical data without constraint creates the possibility that third parties may be able to use this data to compete with us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
 
U.S. government contracts are generally not fully funded at inception and contain certain provisions that may be unfavorable to us, which could prevent us from realizing our contract backlog and materially harm our business and results of operations.
 
DoD contracts typically involve long lead times for design and development, and are subject to significant changes in contract scheduling. Congress generally appropriates funds on a fiscal year basis even though a program may continue for several years. Consequently, programs are often only partially funded initially, and additional funds are committed only as Congress makes further appropriations. The termination or reduction of funding for a government program would result in a loss of anticipated future revenue attributable to that program.
 
As of July 29, 2006, we had funded U.S. government contract backlog of $67.9 million and estimated unfunded U.S. government contract backlog of $457.3 million. The actual receipt of revenue on awards included in backlog may never occur or may change because a program schedule could change or the program could be canceled, or a contract could be reduced, modified or terminated early.
 
In addition, U.S. government contracts generally contain provisions permitting termination, in whole or in part, at the government’s convenience or for contractor default. Since a substantial majority of our revenue is dependent on the procurement, performance and payment under our U.S. government contracts, the termination of one or more critical government contracts could have a negative impact on our results of operations and financial condition. Termination arising out of our default could expose us to liability and have a material adverse effect on our ability to re-compete for future contracts and orders. Moreover, several of our contracts with the U.S. government do not contain a limitation of liability provision, creating a risk of responsibility for indirect, incidental damages and consequential damages. These provisions could cause substantial liability for us, especially given the use to which our products may be put.
 
U.S. government contracts are subject to a competitive bidding process that can consume significant resources without generating any revenue.
 
U.S. government contracts are frequently awarded only after formal, protracted competitive bidding processes and, in many cases, unsuccessful bidders for U.S. government contracts are provided the opportunity to protest contract awards through various agency, administrative and judicial channels. We derive significant revenue from U.S. government contracts that were awarded through a competitive bidding process. Much of the UAS business that we expect to seek in the foreseeable


20


Table of Contents

future likely will be awarded through competitive bidding. Competitive bidding presents a number of risks, including the following:
 
  •  the need to bid on programs in advance of the completion of their design, which may result in unforeseen technological difficulties and cost overruns;
 
  •  the substantial cost and managerial time and effort that must be spent to prepare bids and proposals for contracts that may not be awarded to us;
 
  •  the need to estimate accurately the resources and cost structure that will be required to service any contract we are awarded; and
 
  •  the expense and delay that may arise if our competitors protest or challenge contract awards made to us pursuant to competitive bidding, and the risk that any such protest or challenge could result in the delay of our contract performance, the distraction of management, the resubmission of bids on modified specifications, or in termination, reduction or modification of the awarded contract.
 
We may not be provided the opportunity to bid on contracts that are held by other companies and are scheduled to expire if the government extends the existing contract. If we are unable to win particular contracts that are awarded through a competitive bidding process, then we may not be able to operate in the market for goods and services that are provided under those contracts for a number of years. If we are unable to win new contract awards over any extended period consistently, then our business and prospects will be adversely affected.
 
Risks Related to Our Intellectual Property
 
If we fail to protect, or incur significant costs in defending, our intellectual property and other proprietary rights, our business and results of operations could be materially harmed.
 
Our success depends, in large part, on our ability to protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights. We rely primarily on patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and unfair competition laws, as well as license agreements and other contractual provisions, to protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights. However, a significant portion of our technology is not patented, and we may be unable or may not seek to obtain patent protection for this technology. Moreover, existing U.S. legal standards relating to the validity, enforceability and scope of protection of intellectual property rights offer only limited protection, may not provide us with any competitive advantages, and may be challenged by third parties. The laws of countries other than the United States may be even less protective of intellectual property rights. Accordingly, despite our efforts, we may be unable to prevent third parties from infringing upon or misappropriating our intellectual property or otherwise gaining access to our technology. Unauthorized third parties may try to copy or reverse engineer our products or portions of our products or otherwise obtain and use our intellectual property. Moreover, many of our employees have access to our trade secrets and other intellectual property. If one or more of these employees leave us to work for one of our competitors, then they may disseminate this proprietary information, which may as a result damage our competitive position. If we fail to protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights, then our business, results of operations or financial condition could be materially harmed.
 
In addition, affirmatively defending our intellectual property rights and investigating whether we are pursuing a product or service development that may violate the rights of others may entail significant expense. We have not found it necessary to resort to legal proceedings to protect our intellectual property, but may find it necessary to do so in the future. Any of our intellectual property rights may be challenged by others or invalidated through administrative processes or litigation. If we resort to legal proceedings to enforce our intellectual property rights or to determine the validity and scope of the intellectual property or other proprietary rights of others, then the proceedings could result in significant expense to us and divert the attention and efforts of our management and technical employees, even if we prevail.


21


Table of Contents

We may be sued by third parties for alleged infringement of their proprietary rights, which could be costly, time-consuming and limit our ability to use certain technologies in the future.
 
We may become subject to claims that our technologies infringe upon the intellectual property or other proprietary rights of third parties. Any claims, with or without merit, could be time-consuming and expensive, and could divert our management’s attention away from the execution of our business plan. Moreover, any settlement or adverse judgment resulting from these claims could require us to pay substantial amounts or obtain a license to continue to use the disputed technology, or otherwise restrict or prohibit our use of the technology. We cannot assure you that we would be able to obtain a license from the third party asserting the claim on commercially reasonable terms, if at all, that we would be able to develop alternative technology on a timely basis, if at all, or that we would be able to obtain a license to use a suitable alternative technology to permit us to continue offering, and our customers to continue using, our affected product. An adverse determination also could prevent us from offering our products to others. Infringement claims asserted against us may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
 
Risks Relating to Securities Markets and Investment in Our Stock
 
There may not be a viable public market for our common stock.
 
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock, and there can be no assurance that a regular trading market will develop and continue after this offering or that the market price of our common stock will not decline below the initial public offering price. If no trading market develops, then securities analysts may not initiate or maintain research coverage of us which could further depress the market for our common stock. As a result, investors may not be able to sell their common stock at or above the initial public offering price or at the time that they would like to sell. The initial public offering price will be determined through negotiations between us and the representatives of the underwriters and may not be indicative of the market price of our common stock following this offering.
 
Our management, whose interests may not be aligned with yours, is able to control the vote on all matters requiring stockholder approval.
 
As of July 29, 2006, our executive officers and their affiliates collectively held           shares, or 80.7%, of our total outstanding shares of common stock. Upon consummation of this offering, our executive officers will collectively hold           shares, or  %, of our total outstanding shares of common stock. Accordingly, our executive officers as a group will continue to control the vote on all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors. The interests of our executive officers may not be fully aligned with yours. Although there is no agreement among our executive officers with respect to the voting of their shares, this concentration of ownership may delay, defer or even prevent a change in control of our company, and make transactions more difficult or impossible without the support of all or some of our executive officers. These transactions might include proxy contests, tender offers, mergers or other purchases of common stock that could give you the opportunity to realize a premium over the then-prevailing market price for shares of our common stock.
 
Market volatility may affect our stock price and the value of your investment.
 
Following this offering, the market price for our common stock is likely to be volatile, in part because our shares have not been traded publicly. The market prices for securities of emerging technology companies have historically been highly volatile, and the market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. The market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to a number of factors, most of which we cannot control, including the following:
 
  •  U.S. government spending levels, both generally and by our particular customers;


22


Table of Contents

 
  •  the volume of operational activity by the U.S. military;
 
  •  delays in the payment of our invoices by government payment offices, resulting in potentially reduced earnings during a particular fiscal quarter;
 
  •  announcements of new products or technologies, commercial relationships or other events relating to us or our industry or our competitors;
 
  •  failure of any of our key products to gain market acceptance;
 
  •  variations in our quarterly operating results;
 
  •  perceptions of the prospects for the markets in which we compete;
 
  •  changes in general economic conditions;
 
  •  changes in securities analysts’ estimates of our financial performance;
 
  •  regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries;
 
  •  fluctuations in stock market prices and trading volumes of similar companies;
 
  •  news about the markets in which we compete or regarding our competitors;
 
  •  terrorist acts or military action related to international conflicts, wars or otherwise;
 
  •  sales of large blocks of our common stock, including sales by our executive officers, directors and significant stockholders; and
 
  •  additions or departures of key personnel.
 
In addition, the equity markets in general, and Nasdaq in particular, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of those companies. Further, the market prices of securities of emerging technology companies have been particularly volatile. These broad market and industry factors may affect the market price of our common stock adversely, regardless of our operating performance. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation often has been instituted against that company. This type of litigation, if instituted against us, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources.
 
Future sales of our common stock may depress our stock price.
 
After completion of this offering, we will have           shares of common stock outstanding. The shares sold in this offering, or           shares if the underwriters’ over-allotment is exercised in full, will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under federal securities laws unless purchased by our “affiliates” as such term is used in Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Securities Act.           shares of common stock outstanding after completion of this offering, based upon shares outstanding as of July 29, 2006, will be available for sale in the public market as of the date of this prospectus. After the lock-up agreements pertaining to this offering expire, up to an additional           shares of our common stock will be eligible for sale in the public market,           of which are held by executive officers, directors and other affiliates and will be subject to volume limitations under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
 
The above information assumes the effectiveness of the lock-up agreements under which current holders of           shares of our common stock and all of our officers and directors have agreed not to sell or otherwise dispose of their shares of common stock. Goldman, Sachs & Co., on behalf of the underwriters, may, in its sole discretion and at any time without notice, release all or any portion of the securities subject to lock-up agreements. In considering any request to release shares subject to a lock-up agreement, Goldman, Sachs & Co. will consider the facts and circumstances relating to a request at the time of that request.


23


Table of Contents

If our existing common stockholders sell substantial amounts of common stock in the public market, or if the market perceives that these sales may occur, then the market price of our common stock may decline, including below the initial public offering price.
 
In addition, as soon as practicable after the completion of this offering, we intend to file a registration statement under the Securities Act covering           shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options under our Nonqualified Stock Option Plan,           shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options under our Directors’ Nonqualified Stock Option Plan,           shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options under our 2002 Equity Incentive Plan and shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2006 Equity Incentive Plan. The shares registered under such registration statement will be available for sale in the open market, subject to vesting restrictions with us, the contractual lock-up agreements described above and the contractual lock-up agreements and market stand-off provisions contained in the agreements pursuant to which these options were issued. If these additional shares are sold, or if it is perceived that they will be sold, in the public market, then the trading price of our common stock could decline. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale.”
 
You will experience immediate and substantial dilution as a result of this offering and may experience additional dilution in the future.
 
We expect the initial public offering price of our common stock in this offering to be substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our outstanding common stock. Accordingly, investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering will pay a price that substantially exceeds the value of our tangible assets after subtracting our liabilities. As a result, investors will:
 
  •  incur immediate dilution of $      per share, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, the midpoint of our expected public offering price range; and
 
  •  contribute  % of the total amount invested to date to fund our company based on the initial offering price to the public of $      per share, but will own only  % of the shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of this offering.
 
You will experience additional dilution upon the exercise of options to purchase common stock under our equity incentive plans, if we issue restricted stock to our employees under these plans or if we otherwise issue additional shares of our common stock. See “Dilution.”
 
We plan to reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, and the provisions in our charter documents, as amended and restated, and under Delaware law could delay or discourage a takeover that stockholders may consider favorable.
 
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, to be effective upon completion of this offering, may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in our management. Some of these provisions include:
 
  •  a board of directors divided into three classes serving staggered three-year terms;
 
  •  a prohibition on stockholder action through written consent;
 
  •  a requirement that special meetings of stockholders be called only by the chairman of our board of directors, the chief executive officer, the president or by a majority of the total number of authorized directors;
 
  •  advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations;
 
  •  a requirement of approval of not less than 662/3% of all outstanding shares of our capital stock entitled to vote to amend any bylaws by stockholder action, or to amend specific provisions of our certificate of incorporation; and


24


Table of Contents

 
  •  the authority of our board of directors to issue preferred stock on terms determined by our board of directors without stockholder approval.
 
In addition, because we plan to reincorporate in Delaware, we will be governed by the provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which may prohibit certain business combinations with stockholders owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock. These and other provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, amended and restated bylaws and Delaware law could make it more difficult for stockholders or potential acquirers to obtain control of our board of directors or initiate actions that are opposed by the then-current board of directors, including to delay or impede a merger, tender offer, or proxy contest involving our company. Any delay or prevention of a change of control transaction or changes in our board of directors could cause the market price of our common stock to decline.
 
We will incur significant increased costs as a result of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives.
 
As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as the related rules and regulations enacted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and the Nasdaq Global Market, have required changes in corporate governance practices of public companies. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs. In addition, we will incur additional costs associated with our public company reporting requirements. We also expect these rules and regulations to make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. As a result, it may be more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers. We currently are evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to these rules, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.
 
We can provide no assurance regarding our conclusions as of April 30, 2008 with respect to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.
 
Beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2008, pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our management will be required to deliver an annual report that assesses the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, and we will be required to have our independent registered public accounting firm deliver an attestation report on management’s assessment. If our management or our independent registered public accounting firm were to conclude in their reports that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective, then investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information and the trading price of our stock could drop significantly.
 
We will be required to devote significant resources to complete the assessment and documentation of our internal control system and financial processes, including an assessment of the design of our information systems. We also may incur significant costs to remediate any control deficiencies we identify through these efforts. We cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the required management assessment by our Section 404 reporting deadline. An inability to complete and document this assessment would cause our auditors to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective. In addition, if a material weakness were identified with respect to our internal control over financial reporting, then neither we nor our auditors would be able to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting was effective. Ineffective internal control over financial reporting also could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our common stock.


25


Table of Contents

We may allocate the net proceeds from this offering in ways in which you and other stockholders may not agree or which may not yield a return.
 
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering to increase our working capital, fund general corporate purposes, fund research and development, general marketing activities, general and administrative matters and finance opportunistic acquisitions and other capital expenditures.
 
Our management will, however, have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. The net proceeds may be used for corporate purposes that do not necessarily improve our operating results or enhance the market value of our common stock. Until the net proceeds are used, they may be placed in investments that do not produce significant income or that lose value.


26


Table of Contents

 
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
This prospectus contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this prospectus, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
 
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar words. These statements are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We discuss many of the risks in greater detail under the heading “Risk Factors.” Also, these forward-looking statements represent our estimates and assumptions only as of the date of this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.
 
This prospectus also contains estimates and other statistical data made by independent parties and by us relating to market size and growth and other industry data. These data involve a number of assumptions and limitations, and you are cautioned not to give undue weight to such estimates. We have not independently verified the statistical and other industry data generated by independent parties and contained in this prospectus. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of our future performance and the future performance of the industries in which we operate are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Business” and elsewhere in this prospectus. These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.


27


Table of Contents

 
USE OF PROCEEDS
 
We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately $      million from the sale of the shares of common stock offered in this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, which is the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock by the selling stockholders.
 
The primary purpose of this offering is to fund working capital and other general corporate purposes, including to finance research and development of products, sales and marketing activities, opportunistic acquisitions and other capital expenditures. The amounts and timing of our actual expenditures may vary significantly from our expectations depending on numerous factors, including our results of operations, financial condition and capital requirements. Management has broad discretion to allocate the net proceeds of this offering among the identified uses described above. Pending their use, we intend to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing, investment-grade securities.
 
If we were to price the offering at $      per share, the low end of the range on the cover of this prospectus, we estimate that we would receive net proceeds of $      million, assuming the total number of shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. If we were to price the offering at $      per share, the high end of the range on the cover of this prospectus, then we estimate that we would receive net proceeds of $      million, assuming the total number of shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
 
DIVIDEND POLICY
 
We currently intend to retain all future earnings, if any, for use in the operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Our debt agreements prohibit us from paying any dividends to our stockholders. Any future determination related to dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon, among other factors, our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, contractual restrictions and such other factors as our board of directors deems relevant.


28


Table of Contents

 
CAPITALIZATION
 
The following table sets forth our capitalization as of July 29, 2006 on an actual basis and on an as adjusted basis, giving effect to:
 
  •  the issuance of           shares of common stock upon the exercise of outstanding options at a weighted average exercise price of $      per share to be sold by selling stockholders in this offering;
 
  •  a  -for-one stock split; and
 
  •  our receipt of the estimated net proceeds from this offering, based on an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
 
You should read the following table in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes and the sections entitled “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
 
                 
    As of July 29, 2006  
   
Actual
   
As Adjusted(1)
 
    (Unaudited)
 
    (In thousands, except share and par value data)  
 
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 13,478     $            
                 
Long-term debt (including current maturities)(2):
               
Total long-term debt
             
                 
Stockholders’ equity:
               
Existing common stock, no par value; 25,000,000 shares authorized and 1,935,289 shares issued and outstanding
    2,156        
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value;          shares authorized and no shares issued or outstanding
           
New common stock, $0.0001 par value;          shares authorized;           shares issued and outstanding, actual;           shares issued and outstanding, as adjusted(3)
             
Retained earnings
    33,770          
Additional paid-in capital
             
                 
Total stockholders’ equity
    35,926          
Total capitalization
  $ 35,926     $  
                 
 
(1) A $1.00 decrease or increase in the offering price would result in an approximately $      million increase or decrease in each of as adjusted additional paid-in capital, as adjusted total stockholders’ equity and as adjusted total capitalization, assuming the total number of shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
 
(2) We have a line of credit that provides for aggregate borrowings of up to $16.5 million and a term loan facility under which we may borrow up to $5.0 million. No amounts were outstanding as of July 29, 2006.


29


Table of Contents

(3) We will reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effective date of the registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, and in connection therewith replace our existing common stock with a new class of common stock.
 
The number of shares of common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on           shares outstanding as of July 29, 2006 and excludes the following:
 
  •             shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the remaining options outstanding as of July 29, 2006 at a weighted average exercise price of $      per share; and
 
  •             shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2006 equity incentive award plan, which will become effective on the day prior to the day on which we become subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.


30


Table of Contents

 
DILUTION
 
If you invest in our common stock, your interest will be diluted to the extent the initial public offering price per share of our common stock in this offering exceeds the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock after completion of this offering. Net tangible book value per share is determined at any date by subtracting our total liabilities from the total book value of our tangible assets (total assets less intangible assets) and dividing the difference by the pro forma number of our shares of common stock deemed to be outstanding at that date. Dilution in net tangible book value per share represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of shares of common stock in this offering and the net tangible book value per share of common stock immediately after completion of this offering.
 
Our net tangible book value as of July 29, 2006, was approximately $35.9 million, or approximately $      per share of our common stock. Investors participating in this offering will incur immediate and substantial dilution.
 
After giving effect to the sale of           shares offered by us in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and our estimated offering expenses, our as adjusted net tangible book value as of July 29, 2006 would have been approximately $      million, or approximately $      per share of common stock. This represents an immediate increase in as adjusted net tangible book value of $      per share to existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in as adjusted net tangible book value of $      per share to new investors. The following table illustrates this per share dilution:
 
                 
Assumed initial public offering price per share
          $        
Net tangible book value per share as of July 29, 2006, before giving effect to this offering
  $                
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to investors purchasing shares in this offering
               
                 
As adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to this offering
               
                 
Dilution in net tangible book value per share to investors in this offering
          $             
                 
 
The following table summarizes, as of July 29, 2006, as adjusted to give effect to this offering, the differences between the number of shares of common stock purchased from us, the total cash consideration paid, and the average price per share paid by our existing stockholders and by our new investors purchasing stock in this offering. The calculation below is based on an assumed initial public offering price of $      per share, the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, before deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us:
 
                                         
   
Shares Purchased
   
Total Consideration
    Average Price
 
   
Number
   
Percent
   
Amount
   
Percent
   
Per Share
 
 
Existing stockholders before this offering
                   %   $                  %   $             
Investors participating in this offering
                                       
                                         
Total
            100.0 %   $         100.0 %   $  
                                         
 
If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, our existing stockholders would own  % and our new investors would own  % of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering.


31


Table of Contents

The above discussion and tables assume the exercise of outstanding options as of July 29, 2006 to purchase an aggregate of           shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $      per share that will be sold by selling stockholders in the offering and no exercise of other options outstanding as of July 29, 2006. As of July 29, 2006, in addition to these options to purchase an aggregate of           shares, we had outstanding options to purchase a total of           shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $      per share. To the extent any of these options are exercised, there will be further dilution to new investors.
 
Sales of common stock by the selling stockholders in the offering will reduce the number of shares of common stock held by existing stockholders to          , or approximately  % of the total shares of common stock outstanding after the offering, and will increase the number of shares held by new public investors to          , or approximately  % of the total shares of common stock outstanding after the offering.
 
A $1.00 decrease in the assumed offering price would decrease our net tangible book value after this offering by $      million and dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors by $     , assuming the total number of shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. A $1.00 decrease in the assumed offering price would decrease each of total consideration paid by new investors in the offering and total consideration paid by all stockholders by $      million, assuming the total number of shares offered by us remains the same and before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
 
A $1.00 increase in the assumed offering price would increase our net tangible book value after this offering by $      million and dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors by $     , assuming the total number of shares offered by us remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. A $1.00 increase in the assumed offering price would increase each of total consideration paid by new investors in the offering and total consideration paid by all stockholders by $      million, assuming the total number of shares offered by us remains the same and before deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.


32


Table of Contents

 
SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
The following consolidated income statement data for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 and consolidated balance sheet data as of April 30, 2005 and 2006 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes, which are included elsewhere in this prospectus. The income statement data for the fiscal years ended April 27, 2002 and April 30, 2003 and the balance sheet data as of April 27, 2002 and April 30, 2003 and 2004 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements that do not appear in this prospectus. The consolidated financial data for the three months ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements, which are included elsewhere in this prospectus. The selected consolidated financial data should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus. The historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period.
 
                                                         
    Fiscal Year
                            Three Months
 
    Ended                             Ended  
    April 27,
    Fiscal Year Ended April 30,     July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2002
   
2003(1)
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2005
   
2006
 
                                  (Unaudited)  
    (In thousands, except share and per share data)  
 
Consolidated Income Statement Data:
                                                       
Revenue
  $ 32,468     $ 45,817     $ 47,680     $ 105,155     $ 139,357     $ 30,752     $ 31,557  
Cost of sales
    24,184       33,156       33,122       58,549       82,598       19,516       19,571  
                                                         
Gross margin
    8,284       12,661       14,558       46,606       56,759       11,236       11,986  
                                                         
Research and development
    575       2,091       1,715       9,799       16,098       3,509       3,841  
Selling, general and administrative
    7,715       8,531       9,725       16,545       24,577       5,822       6,132  
                                                         
Income (loss) from operations
    (6 )     2,039       3,118       20,262       16,084       1,905       2,013  
Loss on equity investment(2)
          (1,001 )                              
Other income (expense)
                                                       
Interest income
    34       4       2       61       333       37       206  
Interest expense
    (70 )     (80 )     (90 )     (110 )     (127 )     (30 )      
Other income(3)
    675                                      
                                                         
Income before income taxes
    633       962       3,030       20,213       16,290       1,912       2,219  
Income tax expense
    304       421       859       5,531       4,881       574       854  
                                                         
Income from continuing operations
    329       541       2,171       14,682       11,409       1,338       1,365  
Gain from sale of discontinued operations, net of income taxes of $31 in 2002(4)
    33                                      
                                                         
Net income
  $ 362     $ 541     $ 2,171     $ 14,682     $ 11,409     $ 1,338     $ 1,365  
                                                         
Earnings per common share(5):
                                                       
Basic
  $       $       $       $       $       $       $    
Diluted
  $       $       $       $       $       $       $    
Weighted average common shares outstanding(5):
                                                       
Basic
                                                       
Diluted
                                                       
Pro forma earnings per common share(5)(6):
                                                       
Basic
  $       $       $       $       $       $       $    
Diluted
  $       $       $       $       $       $       $    
Pro forma weighted average common shares outstanding(5)(6):
                                                       
Basic
                                                       
Diluted
                                                       
 


33


Table of Contents

                                                 
    As of
                            As of
 
    April 27,
    As of April 30,     July 29,
 
   
2002
   
2003(1)
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2006
 
                                  (Unaudited)  
    (In thousands)  
 
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
                                               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $     $ 1,998     $ 3,310     $ 10,060     $ 15,388     $ 13,478  
Working capital
    2,325       3,707       6,346       19,312       28,478       30,243  
Total assets
    12,682       14,385       26,464       50,364       64,778       55,776  
Long-term debt, including current portion
    278       422       1,500       2,500              
Total stockholders’ equity
    4,810       5,363       7,514       22,647       34,131       35,926  
Dividends paid
                                   
 
(1) Effective for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2003, our board of directors approved the change of our fiscal year-end from the last Saturday in April to April 30. Included in the financial statements for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2003 are three additional days of operations as compared to the fiscal year ended April 27, 2002.
 
(2) During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2003, we recorded losses of $1.0 million in a joint venture, iPower Technologies, Inc., which we accounted for on the equity method.
 
(3) Other income of $675,000 for the fiscal year ended April 27, 2002 consisted primarily of the recovery of a note receivable, which had previously been written off, from Alta Mesa Energy LLC pursuant to our sale of our interests in various wind farm partnerships.
 
(4) Gain from sale of discontinued operations, net of income taxes, represents final cash payments of $64,000 made pursuant to the sale of certain assets of two of our subsidiaries, AeroVironment Environmental Services, Inc. and AeroVironment Remediation Services, effective July 31, 1998. This amount was fully reserved previously.
 
(5) Earnings per common share and weighted average common shares outstanding give effect to a     -for-one split of our common stock to be effected prior to the completion of this offering.
 
(6) Pro forma earnings per common share and pro forma weighted average common shares outstanding give effect to our sale of           shares of our common stock in connection with this offering, as if such transaction was completed on May 1, 2005.

34


Table of Contents

 
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with “Selected Consolidated Financial Data” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to historical information, this discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including but not limited to, those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.
 
Overview
 
We design, develop, produce and support a technologically-advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft systems that we supply primarily to organizations within the U.S. Department of Defense, and fast charge systems for electric industrial vehicle batteries that we supply to commercial customers. We derive the majority of our revenue from these two business areas. Customers for our small unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, include the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM. Our PosiCharge customers, including Ford Motor Company, SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA, utilize our fast charge systems in their factories, distribution centers, cold storage facilities and airport ground support operations. The success we have achieved with our current products stems from our ability to invent and deliver advanced solutions, utilizing our proprietary technologies, to help our government and commercial customers operate more effectively and efficiently.
 
Our small UAS are well positioned to support the transformational strategy of the U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, the purpose of which is to convert the military into a smaller, more agile force that operates through a network of observation, communication and precision targeting technologies, and its efforts to prosecute the global war on terror, which have increased the need for real-time, visual information in new operational environments. Our small UAS, including Raven, Dragon Eye, Swift, Wasp and Puma, are designed to provide valuable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, directly to the small tactical unit, or individual “warfighter” level, thereby increasing flexibility in mission planning and execution. We also provide training by our highly-skilled instructors, who typically have extensive military experience, and continuous refurbishment and repair services for our products.
 
Our PosiCharge products and services are designed to improve productivity and safety for operators of electric industrial vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground support equipment, by improving battery and fleet management. PosiCharge utilizes our proprietary technology in energy and battery management to recharge electric industrial vehicle batteries rapidly during regularly scheduled breaks or other times the vehicle is not in service, eliminating the costly and time-consuming process of removing and replacing the battery. PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional charger. Utilizing its current, voltage and temperature management capabilities, PosiCharge eliminates the need to cool batteries during and after normal charging, which can take up to eight hours, thereby allowing the batteries to remain in the vehicles during the charging process. These capabilities can also serve to enhance battery performance and lifespan. As of July 29, 2006, our PosiCharge fast charge systems serviced over 5,000 electric industrial vehicles. We estimate that approximately 1.0 million electric industrial vehicles currently operate in North America, including over 100,000 new vehicles that we estimate were shipped in 2005.
 
  Revenue
 
We generate our revenue primarily from the sale and support of our small UAS and PosiCharge solutions. Support for our small UAS customers includes training, customer support and repair and


35


Table of Contents

replacement work, which we refer to collectively as our logistics operation. We derive most of our small UAS revenue from fixed-price and cost-plus-fee contracts with the U.S. government and most of our PosiCharge revenue from sales and service to commercial customers. We also generate revenue from our Energy Technology Center through the provision of contract development and engineering services, the sale of our power processing systems and license fees. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended July 29, 2006, the UAS segment accounted for 78%, 80% and 79% of our revenue, respectively; the PosiCharge segment accounted for 15%, 14% and 16% of our revenue, respectively; and the Energy Technology Center segment accounted for 7%, 6% and 5% of our revenue, respectively.
 
  Cost of Sales
 
Cost of sales consists of direct costs and allocated indirect costs. Direct costs include labor, materials, travel, subcontracts and other costs directly related to the execution of a specific contract. Indirect costs include overhead expenses, fringe benefits and other costs that are not directly related to the execution of a specific contract. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended July 29, 2006, cost of sales were 56%, 59% and 62% of our revenue, respectively.
 
Gross Margin
 
Gross margin is equal to revenue minus cost of sales. We use gross margin as a financial metric to help us understand trends in our direct costs and allocated indirect costs when compared to the revenue we generate. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended July 29, 2006, gross margin was 44%, 41% and 38% of our revenue, respectively.
 
  Research and Development Expense
 
Research and development, or R&D, is an integral part of our business model. We conduct significant internally funded research and development and anticipate that research and development expense will continue to increase in absolute dollars for the foreseeable future. Our UAS research and development activities focus specifically on creating capabilities that support our existing small UAS product portfolio as well as new UAS platforms. These activities are funded both externally by customers and internally. In addition, we currently have a number of potential products in various stages of development and commercialization within our research and development program. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended July 29, 2006, R&D expense accounted for 9%, 12% and 12% of our revenue, respectively.
 
  Backlog
 
Our backlog is comprised of funded and unfunded amounts provided in our contracts. We define funded backlog as unfilled firm orders for products and services for which funding currently is appropriated to us under the contract by the customer. We define unfunded backlog as the total remaining potential order amounts under indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, or IDIQ, contracts. IDIQ contracts do not obligate the U.S. government to purchase goods or services. Because of possible future changes in delivery schedules and/or cancellations of orders, backlog at any particular date is not necessarily representative of actual sales to be expected for any succeeding period, and actual sales for the year may not meet or exceed the backlog represented. Our funded backlog was $70.4 million and $79.7 million as of April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively. Our unfunded backlog was $262.8 million and $475.5 million as of April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively. As of July 29, 2006, our funded backlog was $79.8 million and unfunded backlog was $457.3 million.


36


Table of Contents

Selling, General and Administrative
 
Our selling, general and administrative expenses, or SG&A, include salaries and other expenses related to selling, marketing and proposal activities, and other administrative costs. In addition, expense associated with our supplemental executive retirement plan is included in SG&A. SG&A is an important financial metric that we analyze to help us evaluate the contribution of our selling, marketing and proposal activities to revenue generation. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 and for the three months ended July 29, 2006, SG&A was 16%, 18% and 19% of our revenue, respectively.
 
Other Income and Expenses
 
Other income and expenses include interest income, interest expense, and the recovery of a previously written-off note receivable.
 
Income Tax Expense
 
Beginning in fiscal 2005, our effective tax rates were substantially lower than the statutory rates primarily due to research and development tax credits. The federal research and development tax credit expired in December 2005. If this tax credit is not reinstated, then our annual tax rate likely will increase.
 
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations discusses our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. When we prepare these consolidated financial statements, we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Some of our accounting policies require that we make subjective judgments, including estimates that involve matters that are inherently uncertain. Our most critical estimates include those related to revenue recognition, inventories and reserves for excess and obsolescence, our supplemental executive retirement plan, self-insured liabilities, accounting for stock-based awards, and income taxes. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and on various other factors that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for our judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Our actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
 
We believe the following critical accounting estimates affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in preparing our consolidated financial statements. See Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for our Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. There have been no material changes made to the critical accounting estimates during the periods presented in the consolidated financial statements.
 
Revenue Recognition
 
Significant management judgments and estimates must be made and used in connection with the recognition of revenue in any accounting period. Material differences in the amount of revenue in any given period may result if these judgments or estimates prove to be incorrect or if management’s estimates change on the basis of development of the business or market conditions.
 
The substantial majority of our revenue is generated pursuant to written contractual arrangements to design, develop, manufacture and/or modify complex products, and to provide related engineering, technical and other services according to customer specifications. These contracts may be fixed-price or cost-reimbursable. We consider all contracts for treatment in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Emerging Issues Task Force No. 00-21, “Revenue


37


Table of Contents

Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables” (“EITF 00-21”). EITF 00-21 provides for deferral to higher authoritative guidance, including American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Statement of Position 81-1, “Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain Production-Type Contracts” (“SOP 81-1”), under which the majority of our contracts are properly accounted for. Contracts which provide for multiple deliverables to which SOP 81-1 does not apply are accounted for in accordance with the provisions of EITF No. 00-21.
 
Revenue from product sales not under contractual arrangement is recognized at the time title and the risk and rewards of ownership pass, which typically occurs when the products are shipped and collection is reasonably assured.
 
Revenue and profits on fixed-price contracts are recognized using percentage-of-completion methods of accounting. Revenue and profits on fixed-price production contracts, whose units are produced and delivered in a continuous or sequential process, are recorded as units are delivered based on their selling prices, or the units-of-delivery method. Revenue and profits on other fixed-price contracts with significant engineering as well as production requirements are recorded based on the ratio of total actual incurred costs to date to the total estimated costs for each contract, or the cost-to-cost method. Under percentage-of-completion methods of accounting, a single estimated total profit margin is used to recognize profit for each contract over its entire period of performance, which can exceed one year. Accounting for revenue and profits on a fixed-price contract requires the preparation of estimates of (1) the total contract revenue, (2) the total costs at completion, which is equal to the sum of the actual incurred costs to date on the contract and the estimated costs to complete the contract’s statement of work and (3) the measurement of progress towards completion. The estimated profit or loss at completion on a contract is equal to the difference between the total estimated contract revenue and the total estimated cost at completion. Under the units-of-delivery method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded as the units are delivered during the period based on their contractual selling prices. Under the cost-to-cost method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded at amounts equal to the ratio of actual cumulative costs incurred divided by total estimated costs at completion, multiplied by (A) the total estimated contract revenue, less (B) the cumulative sales recognized in prior periods. The profit recorded on a contract in any period using either the units-of-delivery method or cost-to-cost method is equal to (X) the current estimated total profit margin multiplied by the cumulative sales recognized, less (Y) the amount of cumulative profit previously recorded for the contract. In the case of a contract for which the total estimated costs exceed the total estimated revenue, a loss arises, and a provision for the entire loss is recorded in the period that it becomes evident. The unrecoverable costs on a loss contract that are expected to be incurred in future periods are recorded in the program cost.
 
Revenue and profits on cost-reimbursable type contracts are recognized as costs are incurred on the contract, at an amount equal to the costs plus the estimated profit on those costs. The estimated profit on a cost-reimbursable contract is generally fixed or variable based on the contractual fee arrangement.
 
We review cost performance and estimates to complete at least quarterly and in many cases more frequently. Adjustments to original estimates for a contract’s revenue, estimated costs at completion and estimated profit or loss are often required as work progresses under a contract, as experience is gained and as more information is obtained, even though the scope of work required under the contract may not change, or if contract modifications occur. The impact of revisions in profit estimates for all types of contracts are recognized on a cumulative catch-up basis in the period in which the revisions are made. Amounts representing contract change orders or claims are included in revenue only when they can be reliably estimated and their realization is probable. Incentives or penalties and awards applicable to performance on contracts are considered in estimating revenue and profit rates, and are recorded when there is sufficient information to assess anticipated contract performance. Revenue on arrangements that are not within the scope of SOP 81-1 are recognized in accordance with the SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 104, “Revenue Recognition in Financial Statements.”


38


Table of Contents

Inventories and Reserve for Excess and Obsolescence
 
Our policy for valuation of inventory, including the determination of obsolete or excess inventory, requires us to perform a detailed assessment of inventory at each balance sheet date, which includes a review of, among other factors, an estimate of future demand for products within specific time horizons, valuation of existing inventory, as well as product lifecycle and product development plans. Inventory reserves are also provided to cover risks arising from slow-moving items. We write down our inventory for estimated obsolescence or unmarketable inventory equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated market value based on assumptions about future demand and market conditions. We may be required to record additional inventory write-downs if actual market conditions are less favorable than those projected by our management. Our inventory reserve balance was $0.6 million, $1.1 million and $0.8 million at April 30, 2004, 2005, and 2006, respectively. The increase in the inventory reserve of $0.5 million to $1.1 million at April 30, 2005 from $0.6 million at April 30, 2004 was primarily due to additional inventory reserves for an earlier generation small UAS product line.
 
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan Obligation
 
We maintain a supplemental executive retirement plan, which is a non-qualified defined benefit plan for Dr. MacCready, our Founder and Chairman of our board of directors. The plan is non-contributory and non-funded. Pension expense is determined using various actuarial cost methods to estimate the total benefits ultimately payable to the plan beneficiary, and this amount is accrued as a liability on our balance sheet. We review the actuarial assumptions used to calculate pension costs annually. Based upon the terms of this plan, the plan and all obligations under the plan will terminate automatically upon completion of this offering without any payment or promise of future payment to Dr. MacCready, which will result in a reversal of the related accrued expense of approximately $2.2 million in the period in which the offering is completed.
 
Self-Insured Liability
 
We are self-insured for employee medical claims, subject to individual and aggregate stop-loss policies. We estimate a liability for claims filed and incurred but not reported claims based upon recent claims experience and an analysis of the average period of time between the occurrence of a claim and the time it is reported to and paid by us. We perform an annual evaluation of this policy and have determined that for all prior years during which this policy has been in effect there have been cost advantages to this policy, as compared to obtaining commercially available employee medical insurance. However, actual results may differ materially from those estimated and could have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
 
Accounting for Stock-Based Awards
 
Historically, we applied Accounting Principles Board No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related interpretations, or Opinion 25, in accounting for our stock-based compensation plans. We granted options with exercise prices at or above the estimated fair value of our common stock. No compensation expense was recorded as the exercise price equals or exceeds the fair value of the underlying stock on the grant date.
 
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment,” or SFAS 123R. SFAS 123R eliminates the alternative of applying the intrinsic value measurement provisions of Opinion 25 to stock compensation awards issued to employees. Instead, SFAS 123R requires companies to measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award. That cost must be recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, known as the requisite service period, which is usually the vesting period. We adopted SFAS 123R effective May 1, 2006. Because


39


Table of Contents

we historically used the minimum value method of measuring stock options, implementation of SFAS 123R applies prospectively to new awards after adoption. No expense is recognized for options granted prior to adoption. No awards were granted and no expense was recognized during the three months ended July 29, 2006 as a result of adoption.
 
Given the absence of an active market for our common stock, our board of directors is required to estimate the fair value of our common stock. Our board of directors considered numerous objective and subjective factors in determining the value of our common stock at each option grant date, including the following factors: (1) recent arms’-length transactions in our common stock; (2) contemporaneous valuations; (3) the fact that the option grants involved illiquid securities in a private company; (4) our stage of development and revenue growth; and (5) the likelihood of achieving a liquidity event for the shares of common stock underlying the options, such as an initial public offering or sale of our company, given prevailing market conditions.
 
Income Taxes
 
We are required to estimate our income taxes, which includes estimating our current income taxes as well as measuring the temporary differences resulting from different treatment of items for tax and accounting purposes. We currently have significant deferred assets, which are subject to periodic recoverability assessments. Realizing our deferred tax assets principally depends on our achieving projected future taxable income. We may change our judgments regarding future profitability due to future market conditions and other factors, which may result in recording a valuation allowance against those deferred tax assets. Beginning in fiscal 2005, our effective tax rates were substantially lower than the statutory rates primarily due to research and development tax credits. The federal research and development tax credit expired in December 2005. If this tax credit is not reinstated, then our tax rate for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2007 may be higher than we experienced in the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 as it will not reflect such credit.
 
Fiscal Periods
 
Our fiscal year ends on April 30 and our fiscal quarters end on the last Saturday of July, October and January.


40


Table of Contents

Results of Operations
 
The following table sets forth certain historical consolidated income statement data expressed in dollars (in thousands) and as a percentage of revenue for the periods indicated. Certain amounts may not calculate due to rounding.
 
                                                                                 
                      Three Months Ended  
    Fiscal Year Ended April 30,     July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2005
   
2006
 
                                        (Unaudited)  
 
Revenue
  $ 47,680       100%     $ 105,155       100%     $ 139,357       100%     $ 30,752       100%     $ 31,557       100%  
Cost of sales
    33,122       69%       58,549       56%       82,598       59%       19,516       63%       19,571       62%  
                                                                                 
Gross margin
    14,558       31%       46,606       44%       56,759       41%       11,236       37%       11,986       38%  
Research and development
    1,715       4%       9,799       9%       16,098       12%       3,509       11%       3,841       12%  
Selling, general and administrative
    9,725       20%       16,545       16%       24,577       18%       5,822       19%       6,132       19%  
                                                                                 
Income from operations
    3,118       7%       20,262       19%       16,084       12%       1,905       6%       2,013       6%  
Interest income
    2       0%       61       0%       333       0%       37       0%       206       1%  
Interest expense
    (90 )     0%       (110 )     0%       (127 )     0%       (30 )     0%             0%  
                                                                                 
Income before income taxes
    3,030       6%       20,213       19%       16,290       12%       1,912       6%       2,219       7%  
Income tax expense
    859       2%       5,531       5%       4,881       4%       574       2%       854       3%  
                                                                                 
Net income
  $ 2,171       5%     $ 14,682       14%     $ 11,409       8%     $ 1,338       4%     $ 1,365       4%  
                                                                                 
 
Our operating segments are UAS, PosiCharge fast charge systems and our Energy Technology Center. The accounting policies for each of these segments are the same. In addition, a significant portion of our research and development, selling, general and administrative, and general overhead resources are shared across our segments.
 
The following table sets forth our revenue and gross margin generated by each operating segment for the periods indicated:
 
                                         
                      Three Months Ended  
    Fiscal Year Ended April 30,     July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2005
   
2006
 
                      (Unaudited)  
    (In thousands)  
 
Revenue:
                                       
UAS
  $ 30,372     $ 82,249     $ 111,104     $ 24,303     $ 24,983  
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
    9,111       15,642       19,928       4,559       4,943  
Energy Technology Center
    8,197       7,264       8,325       1,890       1,631  
                                         
Total
  $ 47,680     $ 105,155     $ 139,357     $ 30,752     $ 31,557  
                                         
Gross margin:
                                       
UAS
  $ 10,161     $ 37,235     $ 44,558     $ 8,633     $ 9,271  
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
    3,524       5,846       8,062       1,637       1,940  
Energy Technology Center
    873       3,525       4,139       966       775  
                                         
Total
  $ 14,558     $ 46,606     $ 56,759     $ 11,236     $ 11,986  
                                         


41


Table of Contents

Three Months Ended July 29, 2006 Compared to Three Months Ended July 30, 2005
 
Revenue.  Revenue for the three months ended July 29, 2006 was $31.6 million, as compared to $30.8 million for the three months ended July 30, 2005, representing an increase of $0.8 million, or 3%. UAS revenue increased $0.7 million to $25.0 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006, largely due to the continued growth of our logistics operation, which was launched in fiscal year 2005. Revenue from our logistics operation increased $3.3 million, while UAS product sales decreased $2.6 million. The decrease in UAS product sales was largely due to product shipments being deferred into the latter part of this fiscal year pending customer testing and evaluation, which has been completed. PosiCharge fast charge systems revenue increased by $0.4 million to $4.9 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to installation of PosiCharge into additional facilities operated by our existing customers. Energy Technology Center revenue decreased by $0.3 million to $1.6 million in the three months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to lower sales of power processing test equipment.
 
Cost of Sales.  Cost of sales for the three months ended July 29, 2006 was $19.6 million, as compared to $19.5 million for the three months ended July 30, 2005, representing an increase of $0.1 million, or less than 1%. The increase in cost of sales was caused by higher PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales of $0.1 million.
 
Gross Margin.  Gross margin for the three months ended July 29, 2006 was $12.0 million, as compared to $11.2 million for the three months ended July 30, 2005, representing an increase of $0.8 million, or 7%. UAS gross margin increased $0.6 million to $9.3 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006. As a percentage of revenue, gross margin for UAS increased from 36% to 37%. PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased $0.3 million to $1.9 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006, due to the increase in sales volume. As a percentage of revenue, PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased from 36% to 39% for the three months ended July 29, 2006, due to the achievement of direct and indirect cost efficiencies coincident with higher sales volume. Energy Technology Center gross margin decreased $0.2 million to $0.8 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to lower sales of power processing test equipment. As a percentage of revenue, Energy Technology Center gross margin decreased from 51% to 48% for the three months ended July 29, 2006, primarily due to the lower equipment sales relative to customer-funded research and development work.
 
Research and Development.  R&D expense for the three months ended July 29, 2006 was $3.8 million (or 12% of revenue), compared to R&D expense of $3.5 million (or 11% of revenue) for the three months ended July 30, 2005. The increase in R&D expense reflected our investment in improvement and expansion of existing product lines and development of new product opportunities.
 
Selling, General and Administrative.  SG&A expense for the three months ended July 29, 2006 was $6.1 million (or 19% of revenue), compared to SG&A expense of $5.8 million (or 19% of revenue) in the three months ended July 30, 2005. The increase in SG&A expense of $0.3 million was caused primarily by the added administrative and marketing infrastructure necessary as we continue to grow our business.
 
Income Tax Expense.  Our effective income tax rate was 38.5% for the three months ended July 29, 2006, as compared to 30.0% for the three months ended July 30, 2005. This increase was due to the expiration of the federal research and development tax credit on December 31, 2005. As of July 29, 2006, this tax credit had not been reinstated. If the tax credit is reinstated, then we will make an adjustment to our effective tax rate in the fiscal period during which the tax credit is reinstated.
 
Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2006 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2005
 
Revenue.  Revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $139.4 million, as compared to $105.2 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, representing an increase of $34.2 million, or 33%. UAS revenue increased $28.9 million to $111.1 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006,


42


Table of Contents

largely due to the continued growth of our logistics operations, which were launched in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 and accounted for $20.1 million of the increase in UAS revenue. The remaining increase in UAS revenue of $8.8 million was due to an increase in product sales. PosiCharge fast charge systems revenue increased by $4.3 million to $19.9 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 primarily due to acceptance of PosiCharge into multiple facilities operated by one of our existing customers. Energy Technology Center revenue increased by $1.1 million to $8.3 million in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, primarily due to an increase in sales of power processing test equipment.
 
Cost of Sales.  Cost of sales for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $82.6 million, as compared to $58.5 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, representing an increase of $24.1 million, or 41%. The increase in cost of sales was caused by higher UAS cost of sales of $21.5 million, higher PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales of $2.1 million, and higher Energy Technology Center cost of sales of $0.4 million. The increase in UAS cost of sales was largely due to a full year of our logistics activities. The increase in PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales was primarily due to the continued adoption of our fast charge systems.
 
Gross Margin.  Gross margin for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $56.8 million, as compared to $46.6 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, representing an increase of $10.2 million, or 22%. UAS gross margin increased $7.3 million to $44.6 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. As a percentage of revenue, gross margin for UAS decreased from 45% to 40%, largely due to a reduction in pricing on UAS production orders in fiscal year 2006 and an increase in cost-plus-fee contracts relative to fixed-price contracts, the former of which tend to have lower gross margins, as described more fully in “Government Contracting Process.” The lower pricing also reflected the pass-through of manufacturing cost efficiencies to our customers. PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased $2.2 million to $8.1 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, due to the increase in sales volume. As a percentage of revenue, PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased from 37% to 40% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, due to the achievement of direct and indirect cost efficiencies coincident with higher sales volume. Energy Technology Center gross margin increased $0.6 million to $4.1 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, primarily due to increased sales of power processing test equipment. As a percentage of revenue, Energy Technology Center gross margin increased from 49% to 50% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, primarily due to the higher sales mix of equipment sales compared to customer-funded research and development work.
 
Research and Development.  R&D expense for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $16.1 million (or 12% of revenue), compared to R&D expense of $9.8 million (or 9% of revenue) for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in R&D expense reflected our investment in improvement and expansion of existing product lines and development of new product opportunities.
 
Selling, General and Administrative.  SG&A expense for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 was $24.6 million (or 18% of revenue), compared to SG&A expense of $16.5 million (or 16% of revenue) in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in SG&A expense of $8.1 million was caused primarily by the added administrative and marketing infrastructure necessary to support the growth in our business volume and to enhance the documentation of our internal controls. Further, the increase in SG&A expense partially reflects the lag in SG&A infrastructure growth relative to the revenue growth we experienced in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. As a percentage of revenue, SG&A expense increased to 18% in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, primarily due to the establishment of a supplemental executive retirement plan for Dr. MacCready, our Founder and Chairman of our board of directors. The expense associated with this plan was $2.2 million (or 2% of revenue) in 2006.
 
Income Tax Expense.  Our effective income tax rate was 30.0% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, as compared to 27.4% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. The increase was due to a reduction in the federal research and development tax credit computed based on the expiration of the tax credit on December 31, 2005. As of April 30, 2006, the tax credit had not been reinstated. If


43


Table of Contents

the tax credit is reinstated, then we will make an adjustment to our effective tax rate in the fiscal period during which the tax credit is reinstated.
 
Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2005 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2004
 
Revenue.  Revenue for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $105.2 million, as compared to $47.7 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004, representing an increase of $57.5 million, or 121%. UAS sales increased $51.9 million to $82.2 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, due to the high volume of UAS deliveries achieved during the first full year of full-rate UAS production. PosiCharge fast charge systems sales increased $6.5 million to $15.6 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 due to the continued adoption of these systems, particularly with one existing customer that implemented PosiCharge in many of its North American plants. The decrease in Energy Technology Center sales of $0.9 million was largely due to a decrease in customer-funded research and development.
 
Cost of Sales.  Cost of sales for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $58.5 million, as compared to $33.1 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004, representing an increase of $25.4 million, or 77%. The increase in cost of sales was driven by higher UAS cost of sales of $24.8 million and higher PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales of $4.2 million, partially offset by a decline in Energy Technology Center cost of sales of $3.6 million. The increase in UAS cost of sales was largely due to the high volume of UAS deliveries achieved during the first full year of full-rate UAS production activities. The increase in PosiCharge fast charge systems cost of sales was primarily due to increased adoption and implementation of fast charge systems. The decrease in Energy Technology Center cost of sales was primarily due to lower overall sales and a change in the mix of business toward lower cost power processing systems and write-down of inventory that occurred in 2004 and was not present in 2005.
 
Gross Margin.  Gross margin for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $46.6 million, as compared to $14.6 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004, representing an increase of $32.0 million, or 220%. UAS gross margin increased $27.1 million to $37.2 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. As a percentage of revenue, UAS gross margin increased from 33% to 45% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, primarily due to efficiencies achieved during the first full year of full-rate UAS production. PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin increased $2.3 million to $5.8 million as of April 30, 2005. As a percentage of revenue, PosiCharge fast charge systems gross margin decreased from 39% to 37% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, primarily due to volume pricing incentives. Energy Technology Center gross margin increased $2.7 million to $3.5 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. As a percentage of revenue, Energy Technology Center gross margin increased from 11% to 49% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, primarily due to the change in the mix of business toward lower cost power processing systems and write-down of inventory that occurred in 2004 and was not present in 2005.
 
Research and Development.  R&D expense for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $9.8 million (or 9% of revenue), compared to R&D expense of $1.7 million (or 4% of revenue) for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in R&D expense reflected our investment in improvement and expansion of existing product lines and development of new product opportunities.
 
Selling, General and Administrative.  SG&A expense for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 was $16.5 million (or 16% of revenue), compared to SG&A expense of $9.7 million (or 20% of revenue) for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The year-over-year increase in SG&A expense of $6.8 million was caused by adding infrastructure necessary to support our year-over-year sales growth. As a percentage of revenue, our infrastructure costs lagged behind the increase in revenue in 2005.
 
Income Tax Expense.  Our effective income tax rate was 27.4% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, as compared to 28.4% for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The decrease was due


44


Table of Contents

to an increase in research and development tax credits, offset in part by a reduction of an amount in excess of the tax liability for 2004.
 
Liquidity and Capital Resources
 
We currently have no material cash commitments, except for normal recurring trade payables, accrued expenses and ongoing research and development costs, all of which we anticipate funding through our existing working capital, funds provided by operating activities and our working capital line of credit. The majority of our purchase obligations are pursuant to funded contractual arrangements with our customers. In addition, we do not currently anticipate significant investment in property, plant and equipment, and we believe that our existing cash, cash equivalents, cash provided by operating activities, funds available through our working capital line of credit and other financing sources and the net proceeds from this offering will be sufficient to meet our anticipated working capital, capital expenditure and debt service requirements, if any, during the next twelve months. There can be no assurance, however, that our business will continue to generate cash flow at current levels. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flow from operations, then we may be required to sell assets, reduce capital expenditures or obtain additional financing.
 
Our primary liquidity needs are for financing working capital, investing in capital expenditures, supporting product development efforts, introducing new products and enhancing existing products, and marketing acceptance and adoption of our products and services. Our future capital requirements, to a certain extent, are also subject to general conditions in or affecting the defense industry and are subject to general economic, political, financial, competitive, legislative and regulatory factors that are beyond our control. Moreover, to the extent that existing cash, cash equivalents, cash from operations, cash from short-term borrowing and the net proceeds from this offering are insufficient to fund our future activities, we may need to raise additional funds through public or private equity or debt financing. Although we are currently not a party to any agreement or letter of intent with respect to potential investment in, or acquisitions of, businesses, services or technologies, we may enter into these types of arrangements in the future, which could also require us to seek additional equity or debt financing.
 
Our working capital requirements vary by contract type. On cost-plus-fee programs, we typically bill our incurred costs and fees monthly as work progresses, and therefore working capital investment is minimal. On fixed-price contracts, we typically are paid as we deliver products, and working capital is needed to fund labor and expenses incurred during the lead time from contract award until contract deliveries begin.
 
Cash Flows
 
The following table provides our cash flow data for each of the years in the three-year period ended April 30, 2006 and for each of the three months ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006:
 
                                         
                      Three Months Ended  
    Fiscal Year Ended April 30,     July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2005
   
2006
 
                      (Unaudited)  
    (In thousands)  
 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
  $ 1,570     $ 8,832     $ 13,588     $ (1,059 )   $ (1,423 )
Net cash used in investing activities
  $ (1,316 )   $ (3,533 )   $ (5,722 )   $ (636 )   $ (704 )
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
  $ 1,058     $ 1,451     $ (2,538 )   $ (250 )   $ 217  
 
Cash Provided by Operating Activities.  Net cash used in operating activities for the three months ended July 29, 2006 increased by $0.3 million to $1.4 million, compared to $1.1 million for the


45


Table of Contents

three months ended July 30, 2005. This increase in net cash used in operating activities was primarily due to increased working capital needs of $0.2 million. Accounts receivable and inventories were also higher at July 29, 2006 than at July 30, 2005.
 
Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 increased by $4.8 million to $13.6 million, compared to $8.8 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to improved working capital of $5.2 million, an accrual for long-term retirement costs of $2.2 million and increased depreciation and amortization of $0.9 million, partially offset by lower net income of $3.3 million. Accounts receivable was higher at April 30, 2006 than at April 30, 2005 primarily due to overall higher sales volume for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. Inventories were roughly the same at April 30, 2006 and at April 30, 2005.
 
Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005 increased $7.2 million to $8.8 million, compared to $1.6 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to higher net income of $12.5 million and higher depreciation and amortization of $0.3 million, partially offset by higher working capital needs of $4.8 million. Accounts receivable and inventories were higher at April 30, 2005 than at April 30, 2004 primarily due to overall higher sales volume for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005.
 
Our cash flows from operating activities are dependent on the timing of receipts from various government payment offices and commercial customers and, as a result, may differ from period to period. Such variations from period to period in cash flows from operating activities could be significant.
 
Cash Used in Investing Activities.  Net cash used in investing activities was $0.7 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006, compared to $0.6 million for the three months ended July 30, 2005. During the three months ended July 29, 2006 and July 30, 2005, we used cash to purchase property and equipment totaling $0.7 million and $0.6 million, respectively.
 
Net cash used in investing activities increased $2.2 million to $5.7 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, compared to $3.5 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in net cash used in investing activities was primarily due to depositing $1.5 million to collateralize standby letters of credit with our bank, which is classified as restricted cash, and increased purchases of property and equipment of $0.6 million, primarily for the expansion of our UAS business.
 
Net cash used in investing activities increased $2.2 million to $3.5 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, compared to $1.3 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in net cash used in investing activities was primarily due to increased purchases of property and equipment of $2.2 million, primarily related to capital costs associated with the implementation of our new ERP system.
 
Cash Provided by Financing Activities.  Net cash provided by financing activities increased $0.5 million to $0.2 million for the three months ended July 29, 2006, compared to net cash used by financing activities of $0.3 million for the three months ended July 30, 2005. During the three months ended July 29, 2006, we collected $0.2 million from the exercise of stock options. Long-term debt payments, net of borrowings, during the three months ended July 29, 2006 decreased by $0.3 million, compared to the three months ended July 30, 2005.
 
Net cash used in financing activities increased $4.0 million to $2.5 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, compared to net cash provided by financing activities of $1.5 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005. The increase in net cash used in financing activities was primarily due to paying down our long term debt of $2.0 million, partially offset by no debt borrowings and fewer stock option exercises of $0.6 million. At April 30, 2006, as a result of our strategy to pay down debt, we had no long term debt.


46


Table of Contents

 
Net cash provided by financing activities increased $0.4 million to $1.5 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2005, compared to $1.1 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004. The increase in net cash provided by financing activities was primarily due to higher collections of stock option exercises of $0.8 million, partially offset by common stock repurchases of $0.4 million. At April 30, 2005, we had $2.5 million in long term debt, incurred to finance the expansion of our UAS segment.
 
Line of Credit and Term Loan Facilities
 
We have a revolving line of credit with a bank, under which we may borrow up to $16.5 million, and a term loan facility, under which we may borrow up to $5.0 million. Borrowings bear interest at the bank’s prime commercial lending rate, which was 7.75% and 8.25% as of April 30, 2006 and July 29, 2006, respectively. The line of credit is secured by substantially all of our assets. All principal plus accrued but unpaid interest on the line of credit is due August 31, 2007. All principal plus accrued but unpaid interest on the term loan is due December 31, 2009. We had no outstanding balance on the line of credit or the term loan as of July 29, 2006.
 
Contractual Obligations
 
The following table describes our commitments to settle contractual obligations as of April 30, 2006:
 
                                         
    Payments Due By Period  
          Less Than
                More Than
 
   
Total
   
1 Year
   
1 to 3 Years
   
3 to 5 Years
   
5 Years
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Operating lease obligations
  $ 5,122     $ 1,477     $ 2,490     $ 1,155     $  
Supplemental Executive
                                       
Retirement Plan(1)
    3,920       200       431       475       2,814  
Purchase obligations(2)
    12,666       12,666                    
                                         
Total
  $ 21,708     $ 14,343     $ 2,921     $ 1,630     $ 2,814  
                                         
 
(1) The supplemental executive retirement plan is a non-qualified benefit plan pursuant to which we have agreed to pay Dr. MacCready, our Founder and Chairman, additional benefits at retirement. This plan will terminate automatically upon completion of this offering. See “Management — Pension Plan.” The amount represents total cash payments anticipated under the plan. For accounting purposes, the liability is recorded at net present value of $2.2 million.
 
(2) Consists of all non-cancelable purchase orders as of April 30, 2006.
 
We have entered into standby letter-of-credit agreements and bank guarantee agreements with financial institutions and customers primarily relating to the guarantee of our future performance on certain contracts to provide products and services and to secure advance payments we have received from certain international customers. As of July 29, 2006, we had standby letters of credit totaling $1.7 million without any claims against such letters of credit. These letters of credit expire upon release by the customer.
 
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
 
As of July 29, 2006, we had no off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4) of the SEC’s Regulation S-K.
 
Inflation
 
Our operations have not been, and we do not expect them to be, materially affected by inflation. Historically, we have been successful in adjusting prices to our customers to reflect changes in our material and labor costs.


47


Table of Contents

New Accounting Standards
 
In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued SFAS No. 123R, “Share-Based Payment,” or SFAS 123R. SFAS 123R requires that compensation expense relating to share-based payment transactions be recognized in financial statements at estimated fair value. The scope of SFAS 123R includes a wide range of share-based compensation arrangements, including share options, restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans. This standard replaces SFAS 123 and supersedes APB 25. As a nonpublic company, we previously utilized the minimum-value method rather than the fair value based method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation as permitted by SFAS 123. In accordance with SFAS 123, we disclose pro forma net income and earnings per share adjusted for non-cash compensation expense arising from the estimated fair value of share-based payment transactions. We adopted SFAS 123R on a prospective basis, effective as of May 1, 2006. Share-based benefits will be valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value will be expensed over the vesting period. The adoption of SFAS 123R did not result in a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements, but we will recognize a non-cash compensation expense for options granted after May 1, 2006.
 
In March 2005, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 107, “Share-Based Payment,” or SAB 107. SAB 107 provides guidance to assist registrants in the initial implementation of SFAS 123R. SAB 107 includes interpretive guidance related to share-based payment transactions with non-employees, valuation methods and underlying expected volatility and expected term assumptions, the classification of compensation expense and accounting for the income tax effects of share-based arrangements upon adopting SFAS 123R.
 
In May 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued SFAS No. 154, “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections,” which requires retrospective application of all voluntary changes in accounting principles to all periods presented, rather than using a cumulative catch-up adjustment as currently required for most accounting changes under APB Opinion 20, “Accounting Changes.” This Statement replaces APB Opinion No. 20 and SFAS No. 3, “Reporting Accounting Changes in Interim Financial Statements,” and will be effective for accounting changes and error corrections made in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005.
 
In June 2005, the FASB approved Emerging Issues Task Force Issue No. 05-06, “Determining the Amortization Period for Leasehold Improvements,” or EITF 05-06. EITF 05-06 provides guidance on determining the amortization period for leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination or acquired subsequent to lease inception. The guidance requires that leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination or purchased subsequent to the inception of a lease be amortized over the lesser of the useful life of the assets or a term that includes renewals that are reasonably assured at the date of the business combination or purchase. The guidance is effective for periods beginning after June 29, 2005. EITF 05-06 is not expected to have any impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
 
In November 2005, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position No. FAS 123R-3, “Transition Election Related to Accounting for the Tax Effects of Share-Based Payment Awards,” or FSP 123R-3. FSP 123R-3 provides an elective alternative transition method for calculating the pool of excess tax benefits available to absorb tax deficiencies recognized subsequent to the adoption of FAS 123R. Companies may take up to one year from the effective date of FSP 123R-3 to evaluate the available transition alternatives and make a one-time election as to which method to adopt. We are currently in the process of evaluating the alternative methods.
 
In July 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes — An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109,” or FIN 48. FIN 48 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and


48


Table of Contents

transition. This accounting standard will be effective for us beginning May 1, 2007. We are currently assessing the provisions of FIN 48.
 
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
 
Interest Rate Risk
 
It is our policy not to enter into interest rate derivative financial instruments. We do not currently have any significant interest rate exposure.
 
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Risk
 
Since a significant part of our sales and expenses are denominated in U.S. dollars, we have not experienced significant foreign exchange gains or losses to date, and do not expect to incur significant foreign exchange gains or losses in the future. We occasionally engage in forward contracts in foreign currencies to limit our exposure on non-U.S. dollar transactions.


49


Table of Contents

 
BUSINESS
 
Overview
 
We design, develop, produce and support a technologically-advanced portfolio of small unmanned aircraft systems that we supply primarily to organizations within the U.S. Department of Defense, and fast charge systems for electric industrial vehicle batteries that we supply to commercial customers. We derive the majority of our revenue from these two business areas, and we believe that both the small unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and fast charge markets are in the early stages of development and have significant growth potential. Additionally, we believe that some of the innovative potential products in our research and development pipeline will emerge as new growth platforms in the future, creating market opportunities. The success we have achieved with our current products stems from our ability to invent and deliver advanced solutions, utilizing our proprietary technologies, to help our government and commercial customers operate more effectively and efficiently. Our core technological capabilities, developed through 35 years of innovation, include lightweight aerostructures and electric propulsion systems, efficient electric energy systems and storage, high-density energy packaging, miniaturization, controls integration and systems engineering optimization. We helped to pioneer and are now a leader in the markets for small UAS and fast charge systems, and we have experienced annual revenue growth rates of 121% and 33% for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively, and a compound annual revenue growth rate of 71% for the three-year period ended April 30, 2006.
 
Our small UAS are well positioned to support the transformational strategy of the U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, the purpose of which is to convert the military into a smaller, more agile force that operates through a network of observation, communication and precision targeting technologies, and its efforts to prosecute the global war on terror, which have increased the need for real-time, visual information in new operational environments. Our small UAS, including Raven, Dragon Eye, Swift, Wasp and Puma, are designed to provide valuable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, directly to the small tactical unit, or individual “warfighter” level, thereby increasing flexibility in mission planning and execution. Our small unmanned aircraft wirelessly transmit critical live video and other information generated by their payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors, enabling the operator to view and capture images, during the day or at night, on a hand-held ground control unit. We also provide training by our highly-skilled instructors, who typically have extensive military experience, and continuous refurbishment and repair services for our products.
 
We designed all of our small UAS to be man-portable, launchable by one person and operated through a hand-held control unit. Our small UAS are electrically powered, configured to carry electro-optical or infrared sensors, provide real-time situational awareness and intelligence, fly quietly at speeds reaching 50 miles per hour and travel up to 20 miles from their launch location on a modular, replaceable battery pack. These characteristics make them well suited for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle damage assessment operations. Each of our small UAS typically consists of three aircraft, associated ground control equipment, spares and customer support. We believe that our small UAS capabilities, combined with our high level of service, logistical support and training, have enabled us to win both competitively bid U.S. military small UAS programs of record as of July 29, 2006.
 
We deliver new aircraft to satisfy orders against contracts, and we also deliver new aircraft to replace those damaged in the field. Our DoD customers have shifted from small initial order quantities to long-term, high-volume contracts to purchase our small UAS. As of July 29, 2006, we had U.S. government contract funded backlog of $67.9 million and unfunded indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, or IDIQ, contracts providing for potential purchases of up to approximately $457.3 million. Our backlog consists primarily of contracts and IDIQs with the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, which we won through full and open competitions, and we are currently the sole supplier for these contracts. The U.S. Army projects its total demand for our Raven small UAS at approximately 1,900 new systems, of which we had delivered approximately


50


Table of Contents

23% as of July 29, 2006. While military customers represent the substantial majority of the domestic small UAS market today, we believe that new applications in intelligence, homeland/border security and local law enforcement, as well as potential commercial applications, represent significant new domestic and international growth opportunities for our small UAS solutions.
 
Our PosiCharge products and services are designed to improve productivity and safety for operators of electric industrial vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground support equipment, by improving battery and fleet management. In multi-shift fleet operations, traditional charging systems require users to exchange vehicle batteries throughout the day because these batteries discharge their energy through vehicle usage and there is insufficient vehicle downtime to recharge them during a shift. Changing these batteries, which can weigh as much as 3,500 pounds, requires labor time and dedicated battery changing rooms that consume valuable floor space. PosiCharge utilizes our proprietary technology in energy and battery management to recharge electric industrial vehicle batteries rapidly during regularly scheduled breaks or other times the vehicle is not in service, eliminating the costly and time-consuming process of removing and replacing the battery. PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional charger. Utilizing its current, voltage and temperature management capabilities, PosiCharge eliminates the need to cool batteries after normal charging, which can take up to eight hours, thereby allowing vehicles to quickly return to operation after the charging process. These capabilities can also serve to enhance battery performance and lifespan. To date, PosiCharge fast charge systems have been purchased and installed by a diverse group of customers that includes Ford Motor Company, SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA. As of July 29, 2006, our PosiCharge fast charge systems serviced over 5,000 electric industrial vehicles. We estimate that approximately 1.0 million electric industrial vehicles currently operate in North America, including over 100,000 new vehicles that we estimate were shipped in 2005.
 
Research and development activities are integral to our business, and we follow a disciplined approach to investing our resources to create new technologies and solutions. These activities are funded both externally by customers and internally. A fundamental part of this approach is a well-defined screening process that helps business managers identify commercial opportunities that support current or desired technological capabilities. Our UAS research and development activities focus specifically on creating capabilities that support our existing small UAS product portfolio as well as new UAS platforms. Our Energy Technology Center also engages in research and development in support of our existing product lines as well as to develop solutions for other markets such as renewable energy.
 
We foster an entrepreneurial culture that encourages our engineers to pursue innovative solutions and new applications of our core technological capabilities that we believe will be important in future developments and market competition. This approach has resulted in a portfolio consisting of 58 issued patents, 32 in-process patents and 38 patents pending disclosure as of July 29, 2006. In addition, we currently have a number of potential products in various stages of development and commercialization within our research and development program. This process of creating new products resulted in our current small UAS and PosiCharge products. We believe some of our current research and development projects will also produce new products that will be adopted in large markets and will become important growth platforms for us. Examples of current development projects include Global Observer, a high-altitude, long-endurance UAS, Switchblade, a small UAS that can carry both reconnaissance and lethal payloads, Digital Data Link, a wireless communication technology for UAS-based networking, and Architectural Wind, a renewable energy system utilizing a modular wind turbine design that can supply electricity into a building’s electrical system or directly into the local electric utility’s transmission system.


51


Table of Contents

Market Opportunity
 
Small UAS
 
The market for our small UAS has grown significantly due to the U.S. military’s post-Cold War transformation, the demands of the global war on terror and the tactical limitations of larger UAS. Following the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military began its transformation into a smaller, more agile force that fights through a network of observation, communication and precision targeting technologies. This transformation accelerated following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as the U.S. military required improved observation and targeting to combat enemies who operate in small groups, often embedded in dense population centers or dispersed in remote locations. We believe that UAS, which range from large systems, such as Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk and General Atomics’ Predator, to small systems, such as our Raven, are an integral part of this transforming military force because they provide critical observation and communications capabilities. The timely delivery of this information from large UAS to small units on the ground is often very difficult. Because our small UAS can provide real-time observation and communication capabilities directly to these small units who directly control them, the market for our small UAS continues to expand. As we explore opportunities to develop new markets for our small UAS such as border surveillance and petrochemical industry infrastructure monitoring, we expect further growth through the introduction of UAS technology to non-military applications.
 
The transformation currently taking place in the U.S. Armed Forces represents a shift from Industrial Age warfare, which emphasized amassing large forces and weapon systems, to Information Age warfare, which emphasizes networked and distributed forces with enhanced situational awareness. At the center of this transformation lies the concept of Network-Centric Warfare, which includes the widespread deployment of sensor and communication systems that collect and transmit information to the small tactical unit, or individual “warfighter” level.
 
Broadly defined, Network-Centric Warfare encompasses strategies, tactics, techniques, procedures, organizations and technologies that a networked force can employ to create a decisive advantage. The principles for developing a network-centric force established by the DoD’s Office of Force Transformation include the following:
 
  •  generate an information advantage through more timely, accurate and relevant information;
 
  •  expand the use of deployable, networked sensors, by leveraging intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, capabilities;
 
  •  use sensors to gain information superiority;
 
  •  increase the opportunity for low-level forces to operate nearly autonomously and to be able to rapidly adapt;
 
  •  make the U.S. military more rapidly deployable and able to successfully complete its mission; and
 
  •  enable every weapon platform to be a sensor, from the individual soldier to a satellite.
 
UAS can satisfy many of these new objectives.  Large, high-flying UAS provide a portion of the valuable ISR required for Network-Centric Warfare. These complex systems do not, however, provide warfighters with the direct ability to navigate the aircraft and control its sensors to receive the most relevant tactical information in real-time. Small UAS, on the other hand, by virtue of their significantly lower cost, minimal infrastructure requirements and portability, are operated by small combat units. Our small UAS are capable of delivering valuable ISR, including real-time tactical reconnaissance, tracking, combat assessment and geographic data, directly to the warfighter, which increases flexibility in mission planning and execution. Furthermore, small UAS can contribute to urban combat and stability operations by providing low-altitude ISR and communications relay. Small UAS, therefore, act as “force multipliers” to military commanders by allowing them to observe and assess situations over


52


Table of Contents

any terrain and adjust tactics, personnel and firepower to enhance mission effectiveness. Current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have increased utilization of small UAS, resulting in greater demand for spares, repairs and refurbishment. Most importantly, the use of small UAS in Iraq and Afghanistan has accelerated their broad adoption within the DoD. We believe that the U.S. military’s ongoing transformation, coupled with the nature of the threat associated with the global war on terror, will continue to be long-term drivers of the demand for small UAS. Small UAS offer a unique, reliable and proven tool for U.S. and allied forces in this new threat environment. As such, we believe that small UAS will play an increasing role in transforming the U.S. military and that the armed forces of NATO and other U.S. allies represent significant growth opportunities.
 
We believe that the underlying demand for small UAS will continue to grow as customers continue to deploy them throughout their organizations and as new customers adopt this technology. The ability of small UAS to provide real-time visual information over long distances and into inaccessible areas in a relatively quick and efficient manner creates significant potential for a wide array of applications. Domestically, we expect the small UAS market to develop as non-military government agencies and commercial customers continue to explore the application of small UAS technology to a variety of needs, such as border surveillance and infrastructure monitoring. One example of a current non-military government customer for small UAS is the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition, small UAS are currently being tested for potential domestic application on the U.S.-Mexico border. We believe that potential commercial applications for small UAS include petrochemical infrastructure monitoring, natural disaster damage assessment and rescue operations, utility infrastructure inspection and aerial imaging.
 
Potential commercial applications for small UAS are in the early stages of development. To date, our primary focus has been to address military demand for small UAS and we have only recently begun to pursue commercial applications actively. Since these markets traditionally have not been served by small UAS, we believe that it will take time to educate potential customers about these products. We intend to lever the experience of our flight training organization to provide new operating services to commercial customers. We have performed multiple commercial demonstrations to date and recently executed our first service agreements with commercial customers.
 
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
 
Industrial vehicles, such as forklifts and airport ground support equipment, are employed throughout the world to facilitate the movement of physical goods. As many businesses increase their reliance on supply chain efficiency as part of their competitive strategy, the operating efficiency of these vehicles, which are an integral part of many supply chains, becomes increasingly important to them. We estimate that there are currently approximately 1.0 million electric industrial vehicles in North America, with over 100,000 new vehicles shipped in 2005. Over the past two decades, the market share for electric industrial vehicles has risen compared to internal combustion industrial vehicles as a result of their increased reliability and capability and lower operating cost, as well as the initiatives of more environmentally conscious companies and regulatory requirements for improved air quality in working environments.
 
Electric industrial vehicles are powered by large onboard batteries that can consume up to 17 cubic feet and weigh up to 3,500 pounds. Charging these batteries represents a significant cost and operational challenge to fleet operators because these batteries do not typically store enough energy to support continuous operation in a multiple shift environment. As a result, drivers must leave the work area when the battery reaches a low state of charge and drive to a dedicated battery changing room, which often occupies valuable floor space and is frequently located far from a driver’s work area. The driver or dedicated battery attendant must then remove the battery from the vehicle, place it on a storage rack, connect it to a conventional battery charger, identify a fully-charged battery, move it into the vehicle’s battery compartment and reconnect the battery to the motor before the driver may return to their work area. These battery changes, which take place every day in thousands of facilities around the world, result in reduced material movement and increased operating costs. Furthermore,


53


Table of Contents

the movement of large lead-acid batteries, which contain sulfuric acid, can result in employee injuries and hazardous chemical spillage.
 
Depending on the type of battery, conventional battery chargers can require up to eight hours to recharge the battery, which then must cool for up to an additional eight hours before it is ready to be used again. Consequently, depending on vehicle usage and the number of shifts in an operation, a fleet may require more than one battery per vehicle, which necessitates additional storage space, chargers and maintenance time. Moreover, the high levels of heat generated by conventional battery chargers during their normal use can cause excessive evaporation of the water contained in the battery and damage to the battery’s components. Over time, this evaporation of fluid and damage to components result in battery degradation and negatively affect the battery’s life.
 
Fast charge technology, which charges a battery with a high electrical current while the battery remains in the vehicle, eliminates the need for battery changing and the dedicated battery room. The earliest adopters of fast charge technology include the automotive, air transportation and food distribution markets. Large food and retail industry customers have also begun to utilize fast charge technology. There are numerous companies in North America, many of which manage large multi-location electric industrial vehicle fleets both within these markets and in others, such as the manufacturing markets and logistics markets (which are comprised of businesses that manage the flow of goods and materials for other companies), that have yet to widely adopt fast charge technology and represent a significant growth opportunity. We believe that the market for our PosiCharge fast charge systems will continue to grow as organizations that utilize electric vehicles seek to enhance their operational performance. In addition, we believe that the non-U.S. market offers significant opportunities for growth.
 
Our Solutions
 
Our solutions incorporate and expand upon our core technological capabilities and are intended to save lives, reduce costs, increase productivity and improve operational effectiveness. We believe that our products provide unique capabilities that had not previously existed, perform reliably and affordably, and help our customers operate more effectively. The high efficiency of our solutions relative to previously available alternatives contributes to their value and provides our customers a recurring economic and environmental benefit.
 
Small UAS
 
Our small UAS, including Raven, Dragon Eye, Swift, Wasp and Puma, are designed to provide valuable ISR, including real-time tactical reconnaissance, tracking, combat assessment and geographic data, directly to the warfighter, thereby increasing flexibility in mission planning and execution. Our small unmanned aircraft wirelessly transmit critical live video and other information generated by their payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors, enabling the operator to view and capture images, during the day or at night, on a hand-held ground control unit. All of our ground control units allow the operator to control the aircraft by programming it for GPS-based autonomous navigation using operator-designated way-points and, with the exception of Dragon Eye’s ground control unit, also provide for manual flight operation. These ground control units are designed for durability and ease of use in harsh environments and incorporate a user-friendly, intuitive graphical user interface. With the exception of Dragon Eye, all of our small unmanned aircraft operate from a common ground control unit.
 
All of our small UAS are designed to be man-portable, assembled without tools in less than five minutes and launched and operated by one person with minimal training. The efficient and reliable electric motors used in all of our small UAS are powered by replaceable modular battery packs that can be changed in seconds, enabling rapid return to flight during operations. All of our small UAS can be recovered through an autonomous landing feature that enables a controlled descent to a designated location. We expect that our future small UAS will include advanced payloads and data


54


Table of Contents

integration capabilities, enabling communications among numerous types of unmanned systems and between our small UAS and other assets on the ground.
 
In military applications, our systems enable tactical leaders to observe the next corner, intersection or ridgeline in real-time. This information facilitates faster, safer movement through urban and mountainous environments and can enable troops to act on intelligence rather than react to an attack. Moreover, by providing this information, our small UAS reduce the risk to warfighters and to the surrounding population by providing the ability to tailor the military response to the threat. U.S. military personnel regularly use our small UAS, such as Raven, for force protection, target acquisition, improvised explosive device detection and damage assessment missions. These reusable systems are easy to transport, assemble and operate and are relatively difficult to hear when flying at typical operational altitudes of 200 to 300 feet due to our efficient electric propulsion systems. In addition, their small size makes them difficult to see from the ground. Moreover, the low cost of our small UAS relative to larger UAS platforms makes it practical for warfighters to deploy these assets directly.
 
Our small UAS solutions also include spare equipment, alternative payload modules, batteries, chargers, repairs and Internet-enabled customer support. We provide training by our highly-skilled instructors, who typically have extensive military experience, and continuous refurbishment and repair services for our products. We currently maintain a forward operating depot in Iraq to support the large fleet of our small UAS deployed there. By maintaining close contact with our customers and users in the field, we gather critical feedback on our products and incorporate that information into ongoing product development and research and development efforts. This approach enables us to improve our solutions in response to, and in anticipation of, evolving customer needs.
 
We believe that, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, sales of our small UAS accounted for a significant majority of the U.S. military’s small UAS purchases. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, sales of our UAS products and services accounted for 64%, 78% and 80% of our revenue, respectively. Our UAS sales experienced annual growth rates of 171% and 35% for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively, and a 91% compounded annual growth rate for the three-year period ended April 30, 2006.
 
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
 
Developed from our work on electric and hybrid electric vehicles and advanced battery systems in the 1990s, PosiCharge is an advanced system that eliminates battery changing. PosiCharge quickly and safely recharges industrial vehicle batteries while they are in the vehicle during regularly scheduled breaks and other times when the vehicle is not in use, thereby maintaining a sufficient level of energy throughout the workday. By eliminating battery changing, PosiCharge improves supply chain productivity by returning time to the vehicle operator to complete more work. Furthermore, because of its advanced efficient energy capabilities, PosiCharge can reduce the amount of electricity required to support electric industrial vehicles by several hundred dollars per year per vehicle as compared to conventional battery chargers. Many customers who implement PosiCharge in their facilities are able to re-purpose the battery changing room floor space for more productive activities and create a safer working environment, as drivers or battery attendants no longer need to exchange large, lead-acid batteries.
 
Developed over years of advanced battery testing and usage, PosiCharge’s proprietary battery charging algorithms, which are tailored to battery type, brand and size, maximize the rate at which energy is sent into the battery while minimizing heat generation and its damaging effects. We believe our work to develop these algorithms contributed to the major battery manufacturers offering battery warranties for fast charge, which provided a critical assurance to customers that fast charge systems would not harm their batteries. In combination with a weekly equalization charge that balances all the cells within the battery pack, our “intelligent” charging process enhances the performance of batteries and helps them to achieve improved operation. We believe that other fast charge and conventional charge systems, which lack our current and voltage regulating tailored charge algorithms and


55


Table of Contents

monitoring capabilities, may actually contribute to lower battery performance and lifespan over time, ultimately resulting in higher battery costs and degraded vehicle performance.
 
Our complete line of fast charge products enables us to design customized system solutions for each facility based on its shift schedule, workload, truck type and battery type. By customizing the system to unique customer requirements, we can help to reduce the cost of implementing and operating fast charge systems while maximizing the benefit of PosiCharge to our customers. Our complete solution consists of system configuration, installation, training, asset management and performance monitoring. Moreover, while fast charge technology itself provides significant operational and financial benefits to our customers, we believe that our ability to integrate the system effectively into customer operations through installation services, asset management capabilities and post-sale support increases the value proposition. We believe that this “turnkey” approach to the fast charge market represents a potential source of competitive advantage.
 
We project that PosiCharge customers typically begin to realize cost savings when compared to battery changing within the first twelve months of operation. Operators of large fleets of electric industrial vehicles who use PosiCharge in multiple settings, including factories, distribution centers, cold storage facilities and airport tarmacs, include Ford Motor Company, SYSCO Corporation, Southwest Airlines and IKEA. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, sales of PosiCharge accounted for 19%, 15% and 14% of our revenue, respectively. Our PosiCharge sales experienced annual growth rates of 72% and 27% for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively, and a 48% compounded annual growth rate for the three-year period ended April 30, 2006.
 
Our Strategy
 
We intend to grow our business by maintaining leadership in the growing markets for small UAS and fast charge systems and by creating new products that enable us to enter and lead new markets. Key components of this strategy include the following:
 
Expand our current solutions to existing and new customers.  Our small UAS and PosiCharge products and services are leaders in their respective North American markets. We intend to increase the penetration of our small UAS products within the U.S. military, the militaries of allied nations and non-military U.S. customers. We believe that the increased use of our small UAS in the U.S. military will be a catalyst for increased demand by allied countries, and that our efforts to pursue new applications will help to create non-military opportunities. We similarly intend to increase the penetration of PosiCharge to existing and new customers in North America and globally. Early adopters of PosiCharge are now deploying it in additional facilities throughout their enterprises while its adoption is increasing among new customers and new industry segments, such as food and logistics.
 
Deliver innovative solutions.  Innovation is the primary driver of our growth. We plan to continue research and development efforts to enable us to satisfy our customers through better, more capable products and services, both in response to and in anticipation of their needs. We believe that by continuing to invest in research and development, we will continue to deliver innovative, new products that address market needs within and outside of our current target markets, enabling us to create new opportunities for growth.
 
Foster our entrepreneurial culture and continue to attract, develop and retain highly-skilled personnel.  We have created a corporate culture that encourages innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, which helps to attract highly-skilled professionals. We intend to nurture this culture to encourage the development of the innovative, highly technical solutions that give us our competitive advantage. A core component of our culture is the demonstration of trust and integrity in all of our interactions, contributing to a positive work environment and engendering trust among our customers.


56


Table of Contents

Preserve our agility and flexibility.  We are able to respond rapidly to evolving markets and deliver new products and system capabilities quickly, efficiently and affordably. We believe that this ability helps us to strengthen our relationships with customers. We intend to maintain our agility and flexibility, which we believe to be important sources of differentiation when we compete against larger and better-funded competitors.
 
Technology and Research and Development
 
Our company was founded by Dr. Paul B. MacCready, the Chairman of our board of directors and an internationally renowned innovator who was instrumental in creating our culture. For over 35 years, this culture has enabled us to attract and retain highly-motivated, talented employees and has established our reputation as an innovator. This reputation for innovation has been acknowledged through a variety of awards and special citations, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Small Business Innovator award in 2002, a “Cool Companies” award from Fortune Magazine in 2004, the World Technology Award for Energy in 2004, DARPA’s Sustained Excellence by a Performer award in 2005 and Automotive News’s PACE award in 2006.
 
The innovations of our company and Founder include, among others: the world’s first effective human-powered and manned solar-powered airplanes; the first modern consumer electric car (the EV1 prototype for General Motors); the world’s highest flying airplane in level flight, Helios, a solar-powered UAS that reached over 96,000 feet in 2001; and, more recently, the world’s first liquid hydrogen-powered UAS. The Smithsonian Institution has selected six vehicles developed by us and our Founder for its permanent collection. Our history of innovation excellence is the result of our creative and skilled employees whom we encourage to innovate and develop new technologies.
 
Our primary areas of technological competence, UAS and efficient electric energy, represent the sum of numerous technical skills and capabilities that help to differentiate our approach and product offerings. The following table highlights a number of our key technological capabilities:
 
     
UAS Technology
 
Efficient Electric Energy Technology
 
• Lightweight, low speed aerostructures and
  • Battery management and chemistries
  propeller design
  • Power electronics and controls
• Miniaturized avionics and micro/nano
  • Lightweight electric propulsion
unmanned aircraft systems
  • Thermal management
• Image stabilization and target tracking
  • High-density energy packaging
• Unmanned autonomous control systems
  • Electric power generation, storage
• Payload integration
    and management
• Hydrogen propulsion systems and high-
  • Charging algorithms
pressure-ratio turbochargers
  • On/off grid controls
• Stratospheric flight operations
  • Controls integration and systems
• Fluid dynamics
    engineering
• System integration and optimization
  • System integration and optimization
 
We follow a formal process to evaluate new ideas and inventions that ultimately includes review by our intellectual property and commercialization committees to determine if a technology, product or solution is commercially feasible. The committee members are selected by our Chief Executive Officer. Currently our intellectual property committee consists of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Our commercialization committee also consists of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer. In addition, each of our operating segments has its own internal evaluators who determine whether potential commercialization opportunities and intellectual property developments merit review by our intellectual property or commercialization committee. A fundamental part of this process of innovation is a well-defined screening process that helps business managers identify commercial opportunities that support current or desired technological capabilities. Similarly, we manage new product and business concepts through a rigorous commercialization process that governs spending, resources, time and intellectual property considerations. An important element of


57


Table of Contents

our commercialization process is ensuring that our technology and business development activities are strongly linked to customer needs in attractive growth markets. Throughout the process we revalidate our customer requirement assumptions to ensure that the products and services we ultimately deliver are of high value.
 
As a result of our commitment to research and development, we possess an extensive portfolio of intellectual property in the form of patents, trade secrets, copyrights and trademarks across a broad range of unmanned aircraft system and advanced energy technologies. As of July 29, 2006, we had 58 issued patents, 32 in-process patents and 38 patents pending disclosure. In many cases, we opt to protect our intellectual property through trade secrets as opposed to publication in order to preserve the confidentiality of such intellectual property.
 
For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, our internal research and development spending amounted to 4%, 9% and 12%, respectively, of our revenue, and customer-funded research and development spending amounted to an additional 36%, 10% and 8%, respectively, of our revenue.
 
Products and Services
 
We provide system solutions that typically include hardware, software, training, service, spare parts and ongoing support designed to help our customers operate more effectively and efficiently.
 
Small UAS
 
Products.  Each system in our small UAS portfolio typically includes three aircraft, a ground control unit and an array of spare parts and accessories. Our small UAS consist of:
 
                                             
                            Flight
    Primary
  Wingspan
  Weight
      Standard
  Range
  Time
Small UAS Product
 
Customers
 
(ft.)
 
(lbs.)
 
Recovery
 
Sensors
 
(mi.)(1)
 
(min.)(1)
 
Raven
  U.S. Army, U.S. SOCOM     4.5       4.2     Vertical autonomous landing capable   Electro-optical or infrared     6.0       90  
                             
Dragon Eye
  U.S. Marine Corps     3.8       5.9     Horizontal autonomous landing capable   Electro-optical or infrared     3.0       60  
                             
Swift
  U.S. SOCOM     3.8       5.9     Horizontal autonomous landing capable   Electro-optical or infrared     3.0       60  
                             
Wasp
  DARPA for: U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, U.S. SOCOM     1.3       0.6     Horizontal autonomous landing capable (ground or water)   Electro-optical     2.4       30  
                             
Puma
  U.S. Navy, U.S. SOCOM     8.5       12.5     Vertical autonomous landing capable (ground or water)   Dual electro-optical and infrared     6.0       240  
 
(1) Represents minimum customer-mandated specifications for all operating conditions. In optimal conditions, the performance of our products may significantly exceed these specifications.
 
Raven, Dragon Eye and Swift provide comparable flight durations, range, portability and payload capability. Dragon Eye, the first small UAS to win a U.S. military competitive bid program of record, was designed to meet the specifications of the U.S. Marine Corps, and led to the development of a SOCOM version called Swift.  Raven, a lighter UAS with increased capability, was subsequently developed for, and selected by, the U.S. Army and SOCOM as their designated small UAS. Recently, the U.S. Marines announced their intention to transition to Raven from Dragon Eye.
 
Wasp is the smallest of our products, providing maximum portability and the most rapid assembly and launch. Puma delivers the longest flight duration and greatest payload capacity in a larger configuration. Each of these new products was designed to address unique mission requirements identified through extensive and ongoing contact with our customers and users.
 
Maintenance and Operations.  We provide spare parts as well as repair, refurbishment and replacement services for damaged small UAS through our logistics operation. We designed our


58


Table of Contents

logistics operation to minimize supply chain delays and provide our customers with spare parts, replacement aircraft and support whenever and wherever they need them. We developed an Internet-accessible logistics system that provides our customers with the status of their returned products and their inventory that we help manage. This secure system also provides recent parts and repairs history and tracks usage data to enable inventory optimization forecasting. Our Simi Valley, California facility, which also serves as the primary depot for repairs and spare parts, is currently supplemented by a forward supply depot in Iraq. Through July 29, 2006, we succeeded in maintaining greater than 90% operational availability (percentage of time when a small UAS is available and ready for a mission) for the U.S. Army’s Raven fleet, as determined by the DoD. This support portion of our business continues to grow rapidly as the total number of hours that our small UAS are utilized increases. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, our logistics operations accounted for 21% of our revenue.
 
Training.  We provide complete training services to support all of our small UAS. Our highly-skilled instructors typically have extensive military experience. We deploy training teams throughout the continental United States and abroad to support our customers’ wide variety of training needs on both production and development stage systems.
 
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
 
Our PosiCharge solutions include dedicated fast charge systems that support a heavy-duty vehicle from a single port, as well as multi-port fast charge systems that support as many as 16 vehicles at a time. By supporting multiple vehicles from a single building connection, and by amortizing the cost of the power conditioning component over multiple charge ports, we are able to reduce system cost to customers where this approach supports their fleet strategy.
 
PosiCharge ELT.  ELT, our original fast charge product, is designed to safely deliver the highest current (up to 600 amps) to electric forklifts, such as counterbalance or “sit-down” trucks, used in heavy-duty applications.
 
PosiCharge DVS.  Capable of charging either one vehicle at a time at up to 500 amps or two vehicles simultaneously at up to 320 amps each, DVS is designed to deliver lower up-front installation and ongoing utility costs when compared to other single vehicle fast chargers. Because DVS is a high-current, stand-alone system, it is capable of supporting a variety of specific charging needs, including isolated vehicles in remote areas, smaller fleets requiring smaller systems and heavy-duty applications with variable usage patterns.
 
PosiCharge MVS.  MVS, a multiple-port, multi-vehicle fast charge system, is designed for charging low-to-medium-duty electric industrial vehicles, such as pallet jacks, reach trucks and tow motors, in distribution, warehousing, and general manufacturing settings. Each system is capable of charging up to 16 vehicles at the same time and is designed to deliver greater cost-savings as the number of vehicles simultaneously charged increases, as compared to competitive charging systems, which are currently capable of charging only up to eight vehicles at the same time.
 
PosiCharge SVS.  A cost-effective fast charge solution for lower voltage, high-usage vehicles such as pallet jacks and tuggers, SVS has a compact footprint and provides up to 200 amps of current through its single port.
 
PosiCharge GSE.  Ruggedized for outdoor use in extreme weather conditions, GSE is designed to deliver all the benefits of our MVS product to the airport ground support equipment market.
 
Accessories.  In addition to fast charge systems, we offer a variety of accessories to help our customers integrate PosiCharge into their operations. Single point, automatic watering systems ensure that battery electrolyte is maintained at an optimal level and that watering occurs at the optimal time, thereby contributing to battery health and reducing labor costs associated with manual watering. Charge indicator lights provide fleet supervisors with color codes visible from a distance that indicate


59


Table of Contents

the status of the battery’s charge. Battery-mounted fans for use with the heaviest-duty types of vehicles keep these batteries cool to improve battery performance. Cable management options and charger stands provide customers the flexibility to install PosiCharge in the most accessible location.
 
Installation and Post-Sale Services.  We offer our customers installation services for all of our PosiCharge fast charge systems. In addition, we also offer service contracts, which we typically outsource to authorized service providers located in close proximity to our customers, and we provide 24-hour technical telephone support, technician dispatch and service coordination.
 
Energy Technology Center
 
Our Energy Technology Center provides contract engineering services to internal and external customers. In addition to generating revenue, these contract services enhance our technical skills and capabilities, enabling us to conduct internal research and development to support existing products and to create new products to satisfy new market needs. Our Energy Technology Center products include a line of advanced electric load and sink systems used to test batteries, electric motors and fuel cell systems.
 
Contract Engineering Services.  We actively pursue internal and externally funded projects that help us to strengthen our technological capabilities. We submit bids to large research customers such as Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Army for projects that we believe have future commercial application. Contract engineering services conducted through our Energy Technology Center represent a strategic source of innovation for us. Providing these services contributes to the development and enhancement of our technical competencies. In an effort to manage the ability of our key technical personnel to support multiple, high-value research and development initiatives, we attempt to limit the volume of contract engineering projects that we accept. This process enables us to focus these personnel on projects we believe offer the greatest current and future value to our business. Consequently, while these projects typically add to our operating margin, we are not seeking to grow this service offering at this time. A research and development program that results in a revenue-generating product is typically removed from the Energy Technology Center and organized into an existing or new product line. As a result, the revenue associated with such a product line is reported in its own segment or as part of another segment, and not as a part of the Energy Technology Center segment.
 
Power Processing Systems.  Our Power Processing Systems represent a mature product line of advanced electric load and sink systems that are used mainly by research and development organizations in the public and private sectors to test batteries, electric motors and fuel cell systems. Power Processing Systems customers include many of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers, including General Motors, as well as the U.S. government.
 
Research, Development and Commercialization Projects
 
One important aspect of our technology research and development activity is the development and commercialization of innovative solutions that we believe can become new products and open opportunities for us to enter large new markets or accelerate the growth of our current products. We invest in an active pipeline of these commercialization projects that range in maturity from technology validation to early market adoption. We cannot predict when, if ever, these projects will be successfully commercialized, or the level of capital expenditures they could require, which could be substantial. Four new products that we have been developing are described below.
 
Global Observer.  Global Observer is a high-altitude, long-endurance UAS under development to address the critical need for affordable, 24-hour, 365-days-a-year persistent communications and ISR. The product of years of research with both our own and U.S. government-sponsored development funding, we believe Global Observer to be the world’s first liquid hydrogen-powered UAS. The production configuration now under development is designed to operate at 65,000 feet for over a week between landings. We expect its extreme efficiency and endurance (three to four times the longest


60


Table of Contents

flight time of existing fixed-wing aerial options) to result in dramatically lower operating and total life cycle costs for missions where persistent communications or surveillance is critical. The Global Observer platform is intended to be the equivalent of a twelve-mile-high, low-cost, redeployable satellite, providing a footprint of coverage of up to 600 miles in diameter and capable of providing a broad array of services, including high-speed broadband data, video and voice relay and ISR. We expect these capabilities to provide the foundation for multiple high-value applications including communications relay and ISR missions for defense and homeland security, storm tracking, telecommunications infrastructure, wildfire detection/tracking and disaster recovery services.
 
Switchblade.  We are developing a hand-held, lethal small UAS with the ability to eliminate a target quickly and with minimal collateral damage through detonation of an onboard explosive. This system would be launched by a single individual and operated through our standard ground control unit. Switchblade is designed to allow the operator to identify a threat on the ground control unit, lock-on to it and neutralize it by triggering an autonomous terminal guidance phase. We believe that recent combat experience indicates that such a capability would be of great value and could significantly improve the ability to neutralize hostile elements such as snipers, machine guns and mortar launchers.
 
Digital Data Link.  We are developing a robust, packet-switched, digital network module designed for extremely small size, weight, power and latency requirements that would enable it to operate on our small UAS. By switching to digital technology from the current analog technology employed in our small UAS, each small UAS will be enabled to operate as an IP-addressable node on a broad, wireless network facilitating the transmission of information between and among multiple small UAS, their operators and other remote parties. Other advantages of the switch to digital technology include reduced bandwidth usage for transmissions relative to analog transmissions, resulting in the ability to simultaneously operate more small UAS in closer proximity than was previously possible.
 
Architectural Wind.  Recognizing the limited options available for renewable energy generation in urban environments, our engineers and scientists are utilizing our high efficiency electric powertrain and propeller design capabilities to create a new type of wind energy system that can be installed on buildings. The result is Architectural Wind, a small, modular wind turbine designed to take advantage of wind over buildings to provide renewable electricity in a more cost-effective manner. Initial market exploration has revealed significant interest in this product, which has a visually compelling design.
 
Sales and Marketing
 
Our marketing strategy is to increase awareness of our brand among key target market segments and to associate AeroVironment with innovation, flexibility, agility and the ability to deliver new technology solutions that improve operational effectiveness. Our reputation for innovation is a key component of our brand and has been acknowledged through a variety of awards and recognized in numerous articles in domestic and international publications. We have registered the trademarks AeroVironment® and PosiCharge® and have submitted several other applications for trademark registration, including for AV, Global Observer and Architectural Wind.
 
Small UAS
 
We organize our U.S. small UAS business development team members by customer and product and have team members located in California, Colorado, Florida and Virginia, where they are in close proximity to customers they support. Supporting our business development team members are our program managers, who are organized by product and focus on designing optimal solutions and contract fulfillment, as well as internalizing feedback from customers and users. By maintaining assigned points of contact with our customers, we believe that we are able to enhance our relationships, service existing contracts effectively and gain vital feedback to improve our responsiveness and product offerings.


61


Table of Contents

We are increasing our sales efforts abroad and have contracted with international sales representatives who now cover most of Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Internationally, we have sold our small UAS in markets including Australia, France and Italy. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, domestic sales of our small UAS amounted to 93.6%, 97.6% and 99.7% of our UAS revenue, respectively.
 
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems
 
We primarily sell our PosiCharge products through a dedicated, direct sales force whose members are located in Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas to address their respective regions or industries efficiently. The sales team targets large entities with the potential for domestic and international enterprise adoption of our solutions. In addition to our direct customer sales, we also employ a regional sales team that coordinates distribution of PosiCharge systems through numerous battery dealers. These dealers’ relationships with, and proximity to, our customers’ facilities enable them to sell our solutions and provide post-sale service to our customers. We believe that these dealers are well suited to address the large number of smaller and geographically dispersed customers with industrial vehicle fleets. When evaluating a facility for its ability to benefit from PosiCharge, we perform a detailed analysis of the customer’s operations. This analysis allows us to quantify the benefit projected for a PosiCharge implementation, helping customers to determine for themselves if the business case is sufficiently compelling. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, domestic sales of PosiCharge amounted to 91.3%, 93.0% and 93.0% of our PosiCharge fast charge systems revenue, respectively.
 
 
Backlog
 
Our historical backlog at the dates shown consisted of the following:
 
                         
    As of April 30,     As of July 29,  
   
2005
   
2006
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Funded
  $ 70,418     $ 79,699     $ 79,768  
Unfunded
    262,801       475,469       457,275  
                         
Total
  $ 333,219     $ 555,168     $ 537,043  
                         
 
Our backlog is comprised of funded and unfunded amounts provided in our contracts. We define funded backlog as unfilled firm orders for products and services for which funding currently is appropriated to us under the contract by the customer. We define unfunded backlog as the total remaining potential order amounts under indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, or IDIQ, contracts. Because of possible future changes in delivery schedules and/or cancellations of orders, backlog at any particular date is not necessarily representative of actual sales to be expected for any succeeding period, and actual sales for the year may not meet or exceed the backlog represented. As described under “Government Contracting Process,” IDIQs do not obligate the U.S. government to purchase goods or services.
 
As of July 29, 2006, our funded backlog was $79.8 million as compared to $60.7 million as of July 30, 2005. Of our funded backlog as of July 29, 2006, approximately 93% is expected to be delivered in this fiscal year.
 
Manufacturing and Operations
 
We pursue a common manufacturing strategy across our product lines, focusing on rapid prototyping, supply chain management, final assembly, quality systems and testing. Using concurrent engineering techniques within an integrated product team structure, we rapidly prototype design concepts and products to produce products at reduced cost and optimize our designs for manufacturing requirements, mission capabilities and customer specifications. Within this framework, we develop


62


Table of Contents

our products with feedback and input from manufacturing, supply chain management, key suppliers, logistics personnel and customers. We rapidly incorporate this feedback and input into the design before tooling is finalized and full-rate production begins. As a result, we believe that we can significantly reduce the time required to move a product from its design phase to full-rate production deliveries with high reliability, quality and yields.
 
We outsource certain production activities, such as the fabrication of structures and the manufacture of subassemblies and payloads, to qualified suppliers with whom we have long-term relationships. This outsourcing enables us to focus on final assembly and test processes for our products, ensuring high levels of quality and reliability. We believe that our efficient supply chain is a significant strength of our manufacturing strategy. We have forged strong relationships with our key suppliers that we believe will allow us to continue to grow our manufacturing capabilities and execute on our growth plans. We continue to expand upon our suppliers’ expertise to improve our existing products and develop new solutions. We rely on both single and multiple suppliers for certain components and subassemblies. See “Risk Factors — If critical components of our products that we currently purchase from a small number of suppliers or raw materials used to manufacture our products become scarce or unavailable then we may incur delays in manufacturing and delivery of our products, which could damage our business” for more information. All of our manufacturing operations incorporate quality programs and processes to increase acceptance rates, reduce lead times and lower cost.
 
UAS Manufacturing and Operations
 
We have successfully developed the manufacturing infrastructure to execute production of both new products at low initial rates and high-volume, full-rate production programs. For example, in 2003, we invested in the infrastructure necessary to transition from low-rate prototype small UAS production to full-rate production, successfully increasing production from 15 aircraft per month to 200 per month in only six months to meet customer demand. By drawing upon experienced personnel from our PosiCharge and Energy Technology Center groups and levering our prior ISO certification, integrated supply chain strategy, document control systems, and process control methodologies into this new manufacturing effort, we laid the groundwork for a high volume, efficient production environment. Presently, our small UAS manufacturing is performed at our 85,000 square foot manufacturing facility established in 2005 in Simi Valley, California. This ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing facility, with over 150 employees, is currently producing approximately 200 aircraft per month and is designed to accommodate demand up to 1,000 aircraft per month. ISO 9001:2000 refers to a set of voluntary standards for quality management systems. These standards are established by the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, to govern quality management systems used worldwide. Companies that receive ISO certification have passed audits performed by a Registrar Accreditation Board-certified auditing company. These audits evaluate the effectiveness of companies’ quality management systems and their compliance with ISO standards. Some companies and government agencies view ISO certification as a positive factor in supplier assessments.
 
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems Manufacturing and Operations
 
We perform final assembly and testing of our PosiCharge fast charge systems at a 20,000 square foot, ISO 9001:2000 certified facility located in Monrovia, California. We designed this facility for flexibility, using a work cell model for final assembly, and have included fixtures optimized for final testing.
 
Employees
 
As of July 29, 2006, we had 447 full-time employees, of whom 134 were research and development/engineering, 43 were sales and marketing, 178 were operations and 92 were general and administrative. Of these employees, 134 have engineering degrees, 53 have advanced engineering degrees, and 85 have U.S. government security clearances. We believe that we have a good relationship with our employees.


63


Table of Contents

Facilities
 
All of our facilities are leased. Our corporate headquarters are located in Monrovia, California where we lease approximately 13,000 square feet under an agreement expiring in September 2010. We have several other leased facilities in Monrovia that house our PosiCharge and Energy Technology Center businesses. These facilities have total square footage of approximately 50,000 square feet and leases that expire between the end of 2006 and 2010.
 
Our principal UAS facilities are located in Simi Valley, California. They consist of an 85,000 square foot research and development, manufacturing and logistics facility, the lease for which expires in 2009, and a 26,000 square foot dedicated research and development facility, the lease for which expires in late 2006.
 
We additionally have small leased offices in Florida, Hawaii, Texas and Virginia for training, business development and sales. We believe that our current leased facilities and additional or alternative space available to us will be adequate to meet our needs for the foreseeable future.
 
Competition
 
We believe that the principal competitive factors in the markets for our products and services include product performance, features, acquisition cost, lifetime operating cost, including maintenance and support, ease of use, integration with existing equipment, quality, reliability, customer support, brand and reputation.
 
The market for small UAS is evolving rapidly and subject to changing technologies, shifting customer needs and expectations and the potential introduction of new products. We believe that a number of established domestic and international defense contractors have developed or are developing small UAS that have and will continue to compete directly with our products. Some of these contractors have significantly more financial and other resources than we possess. Our current principal small UAS competitors include Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc., Applied Research Associates, Inc., Elbit Systems Ltd., L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corporation. We do not view large UAS such as Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Global Hawk, General Atomics, Inc.’s Predator, The Boeing Company’s ScanEagle and AAI Corporation’s Shadow as direct competitors because they perform different missions and are not hand launched and controlled, although we cannot be certain that these platforms will not become direct competitors in the future.
 
The primary direct competitors to PosiCharge are other fast charge suppliers, including Aker Wade Power Technologies LLC, Minit-Charger, a subsidiary of Edison International, and PowerDesigners, LLC. Some of the major industrial battery suppliers have begun to align themselves with fast charge suppliers, creating a potentially more significant source of competition.
 
In addition, PosiCharge competes against the traditional method of battery changing. Competitors in this area include suppliers of battery changing equipment and infrastructure, designers of battery changing rooms, battery manufacturers and dealers who may experience reduced sales volume because PosiCharge eliminates the need for extra batteries.
 
Regulation
 
Due to the fact that we contract with the DoD and other agencies of the U.S. government, we are subject to extensive federal regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulations, Defense Federal Acquisitions Regulations, Truth in Negotiations Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, False Claims Act and the regulations promulgated under the DoD Industrial Security Manual, which establishes the security guidelines for classified programs and facilities as well as individual security clearances.
 
In addition, due to the nature of the products and services we provide, we are subject to further U.S. government regulation, including by the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates airspace for all air vehicles, by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Federal


64


Table of Contents

Communications Commission, which regulate the wireless communications upon which our small UAS depend, and under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which regulate the export of controlled technical data, defense articles and defense services. The Federal Aviation Administration currently requires that small UAS comply with the rules for radio-controlled hobby aircraft that require small UAS to maintain flight altitude below 400 feet above the ground and the operator to maintain line of sight on the aircraft at all times it is in flight. The Federal Aviation Administration is in the process of drafting updated regulations specifically for small UAS operations in support of military, civil and/or commercial applications. These new regulations will affect the extent to which small UAS may be used for certain applications. We have engaged in discussions with the Federal Aviation Administration to help ensure that these new regulations allow for the maximum safe utilization of our small UAS.
 
Recently, the DCMA informed us that, under the terms of our DoD contracts, the government parties with whom we are contracting are required to obtain a certificate of authorization for flight tests of our small UAS outside of military installations. If our DoD customers are unable to obtain such a certificate, we may not be able to perform our flight tests without incurring the additional costs of transporting our small UAS products to military installations.
 
Certain of these regulations carry substantial penalty provisions, including suspension or debarment from government contracting or subcontracting for a period of time if we are found to be in violation. We carefully monitor all of our contracts and contractual efforts to minimize the possibility of any violation of these regulations.
 
Furthermore, our non-U.S. operations are subject to the laws and regulations of foreign jurisdictions, which may include regulations that are more stringent than those imposed by the U.S. government on our U.S. operations.
 
We were recently audited by the DCMA with respect to our system for the care, control and accountability of government property. The DCMA identified certain corrective actions to be taken with respect to our current system, which we successfully implemented.
 
Legal Proceedings
 
We are not currently a party to any material legal proceedings. We are, however, subject to lawsuits from time to time in the ordinary course of business.


65


Table of Contents

 
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING PROCESS
 
We sell the significant majority of our small UAS products and services as the prime contractor under contracts with the U.S. government. Certain important aspects of our government contracts are described below.
 
Bidding Process
 
We are awarded government contracts typically through a competitive bidding process. The U.S. government awards competitive-bid contracts based on proposal evaluation criteria established by the procuring agency. Competitive-bid contracts are awarded after a formal bid and proposal competition among providers. Interested contractors prepare a bid and proposal in response to the agency’s request for proposal or request for information. A bid and proposal is usually prepared in a short time period in response to a deadline and requires the extensive involvement of numerous technical and administrative personnel. Following award, competitive-bid contracts may be challenged by unsuccessful bidders.
 
Single and multiple award indefinite delivery indefinite quantity, or IDIQ, contracts are contract forms used to obtain commitments from contractors to provide certain products or services on pre-established terms and conditions. Under IDIQ contracts, the U.S. government issues task orders for specific services or products it needs and the contractor supplies products or services in accordance with the previously agreed terms. IDIQ contracts do not obligate the U.S. government to purchase goods or services. The competitive process to obtain task orders is limited to the pre-selected contractors. If the IDIQ contract has a single prime contractor, then the award of task orders is limited to that contractor. If the contract has multiple prime contractors, then the award of the task order is competitively determined among only those prime contractors. IDIQ contracts often have multi-year terms and unfunded ceiling amounts, therefore enabling but not committing the U.S. government to purchase substantial amounts of products and services from one or more contractors.
 
The contracts for our full-rate production UAS are funded either through operational needs statements or as programs of record. Operational needs statements represent allocations of discretionary spending or reallocations of funding from other government programs. Funding for our production of initial Raven deliveries was provided through operational needs statements, as is the case currently with our initial Puma deliveries. Programs of record are programs which, after undergoing extensive DoD review and product testing, are included in the five-year government budget cycle, meaning that funding will be allocated for purchases under these contracts during the five-year cycle, absent affirmative action by the customer or Congress to change the budgeted amount. Funding for these programs is approved annually.
 
We are currently the sole provider under the only two programs of record established by the DoD for small UAS, a 2005 U.S. Army/SOCOM contract for Raven B, our next generation Raven product, and a 2003 U.S. Marine Corps contract for Dragon Eye. Both programs of record were awarded through a competitive bidding process. The U.S. Army/SOCOM program of record provides for purchases of up to $282.6 million through 2010 and also allows for contract additions from the U.S. Army/SOCOM or other U.S. military services. As of July 29, 2006, orders in the amount of $58.8 million had been placed with us, and we had provided approximately 20 systems under this program, with each system consisting of three aircraft, two ground control units with hand-held controllers, spare parts and other related support equipment. The U.S. Marine Corps program of record, unless modified, will provide for purchases of up to $50.0 million through 2008. As of July 29, 2006, orders in the amount of $46.1 million had been placed with us, and we had provided approximately 167 systems under this program, with each system consisting of three aircraft, optional additional spare aircraft, one ground control unit with laptop, spare parts and other related support equipment. Additional aircraft and parts have also been delivered to repair and replace the small UAS damaged in the field, funded both under the programs of record and from other sources. Production


66


Table of Contents

of Wasp is currently funded by a development program through the DoD ’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA.
 
Material Government Contract Provisions
 
The funding of U.S. government programs is subject to congressional appropriations. Although multi-year contracts may be authorized in connection with major procurements, Congress generally appropriates funds on a fiscal year basis, even though a program may continue for many years. Consequently, programs are often only partially funded initially, and additional funds are committed only as Congress makes further appropriations.
 
All contracts with the U.S. government contain provisions, and are subject to laws and regulations, that give the government rights and remedies not typically found in commercial contracts, including rights that allow the government to:
 
  •  terminate existing contracts for convenience, which affords the U.S. government the right to terminate the contract in whole or in part anytime it wants for any reason or no reason, as well as for default;
 
  •  reduce or modify contracts or subcontracts, if its requirements or budgetary constraints change;
 
  •  cancel multi-year contracts and related orders, if funds for contract performance for any subsequent year become unavailable;
 
  •  claim rights in products and systems produced by its contractors if the contract is cost reimbursable and the contractor produces the products or systems during the performance of the contract;
 
  •  adjust contract costs and fees on the basis of audits completed by its agencies;
 
  •  suspend or debar a contractor from doing business with the U.S. government; and
 
  •  control or prohibit the export of products.
 
Generally, government contracts are subject to oversight audits by government representatives. Provisions in these contracts permit termination, in whole or in part, without prior notice, at the government’s convenience or upon contractor default under the contract. Compensation in the event of a termination, if any, is limited to work completed at the time of termination. In the event of termination for convenience, the contractor may receive a certain allowance for profit on the work performed.
 
Government Contract Categories
 
We have three types of government contracts, each of which involves a different payment methodology and level of risk related to the cost of performance. These basic types of contracts are typically referred to as fixed-price contracts, cost reimbursable contracts (including cost-plus-fixed fee, cost-plus-award fee, and cost-plus-incentive fee) and time-and-materials contracts.
 
Fixed-Price
 
These contracts are not subject to adjustment by reason of costs incurred in the performance of the contract. With this type of contract, we assume the risk that we will not be able to perform at a cost below the fixed-price, except for costs incurred because of contract changes ordered by the customer. Upon the U.S. government’s termination of a fixed-price contract, generally we would be entitled to payment for items delivered to and accepted by the U.S. government and, if the termination is at the U.S. government’s convenience, for payment of fair compensation for work performed plus the costs of settling and paying claims by any terminated subcontractors, other settlement expenses and a reasonable allowance for profit on the costs incurred.


67


Table of Contents

Cost Reimbursable
 
Cost reimbursable contracts include cost-plus-fixed fee contracts, cost-plus-award fee contracts and cost-plus-incentive fee contracts. Under each type of contract, we assume the risk that we may not be able to recover costs if they are not allowable under the contract terms or applicable regulations, or if the costs exceed the contract funding.
 
  •  Cost-plus-fixed fee contracts are cost reimbursable contracts that provide for payment of a negotiated fee that is fixed at the inception of the contract. This fixed fee does not vary with actual cost of the contract, but may be adjusted as a result of changes in the work to be performed under the contract. This contract type poses less risk of loss than a fixed-price contract, but our ability to win future contracts from the procuring agency may be adversely affected if we fail to perform within the maximum cost set forth in the contract.
 
  •  A cost-plus-award fee contract is a cost reimbursable contract that provides for a fee consisting of a base amount (which may be zero) fixed at inception of the contract and an award amount, based upon the government’s satisfaction with the performance under the contract. With this type of contract, we assume the risk that we may not receive the award fee, or only a portion of it, if we do not perform satisfactorily.
 
  •  A cost-plus-incentive fee contract is a cost reimbursable contract that provides for an initially negotiated fee to be adjusted later by a formula based on the relationship of total allowable costs to total target costs.
 
We typically experience lower profit margins and lower risk under cost reimbursable contracts than under fixed-price contracts. Upon the termination of a cost reimbursable contract, generally we would be entitled to reimbursement of our allowable costs and, if the termination is at the U.S. government’s convenience, a total fee proportionate to the percentage of work completed under the contract.
 
Time-and-Materials
 
Under a time-and-materials contract, our compensation is based on a fixed hourly rate established for specified labor or skill categories. We are paid at the established hourly rates for the hours we expend performing the work specified in the contract. Labor costs, overhead, general and administrative costs and profit are included in the fixed hourly rate. Materials, subcontractors, travel and other direct costs are reimbursed at actual costs plus an amount for material handling. We make critical pricing assumptions and decisions when developing and proposing time-and-materials labor rates. We risk reduced profitability if our actual costs exceed the costs incorporated into the fixed hourly labor rate. One variation of a standard time-and-materials contract is a time-and-materials, award fee contract. Under this type of contract, a positive or negative incentive can be earned based on achievement against specific performance metrics.
 
The table below shows our UAS revenue for the periods indicated by government contract type:
 
                                 
    Fiscal Year Ended
    Three Months
 
    April 30,     Ended July 29,
 
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
   
2006
 
 
Fixed-price contracts
    63 %     88 %     60 %     74 %
Cost reimbursable contracts
    36 %     12 %     39 %     25 %
Time-and-materials contracts
    1 %           1 %     1 %


68


Table of Contents

 
MANAGEMENT
 
Executive Officers and Directors
 
The following table sets forth certain information about our executive officers and directors:
 
             
Name
 
Age
 
Position
 
Paul B. MacCready
    81     Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors
Timothy E. Conver
    63     President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Stephen C. Wright
    50     Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
John F. Grabowsky
    59     Executive Vice President and General Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Patrick R. Dellario
    49     Vice President and General Manager, PosiCharge Systems
Joseph S. Edwards
    59     Vice President and General Manager, Energy Technology Center
Cathleen S. Cline
    48     Vice President of Administration
Joseph F. Alibrandi(1)(3)
    77     Director
Kenneth R. Baker(1)(2)
    59     Director
Arnold L. Fishman(1)(2)(3)
    62     Director
Murray Gell-Mann(2)(3)
    77     Director
Charles R. Holland
    60     Director
 
(1) Member of the audit committee.
 
(2) Member of the compensation committee.
 
(3) Member of the nominating and corporate governance committee.
 
Executive Officers
 
Paul B. MacCready founded AeroVironment in 1971. Dr. MacCready is an inventor and entrepreneur who has become known as the “father of human-powered flight” for his Gossamer Condor, which in 1977 made the first sustained controlled flight powered solely by its pilot’s muscles. Dr. MacCready has received numerous honors including the Engineer of the Century Gold Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the NASA Public Service Grand Achievement Award and Aviation Week’s Aerospace Laureate designation. In addition, Dr. MacCready was selected Graduate of the Decade by the California Institute of Technology and was named one of the 100 greatest minds of the 20th century by Time Magazine. He received a B.S. from Yale and an M.S. in physics and Ph.D. in aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology.
 
Timothy E. Conver has served as our President since 1991 and as our Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors since 1993. Prior to joining AeroVironment, Mr. Conver served as President of Whittaker Electronic Resources, a supplier of engineered products for military electronics and industrial instrumentation, for ten years. Mr. Conver is a graduate of the University of Montana and has an M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.
 
Stephen C. Wright has served as our Vice President of Finance, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary since September 2002. Prior to joining us, Mr. Wright served as the Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of L-3 PrimeWave Communications, a fixed wireless equipment provider, from January 2002 to August 2002 and as the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Cellotape, a hi-tech component and label manufacturer, from May 2001 to November 2001. Prior to joining Cellotape, Mr. Wright also served as the Chief Financial Officer of both Adicom Wireless, a fixed wireless equipment provider, and Globalstar L.P., a wireless telecom service provider.


69


Table of Contents

Mr. Wright has a B.S. in business from California State University Northridge and an M.B.A. from San Diego State University.
 
John F. Grabowsky joined us in April 2003, serving initially as our Director of Programs from April 2003 to March 2004, as our Vice President and General Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems from April 2004 to August 2006, and since September 2006 as our Executive Vice President and General Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Prior to joining us, Mr. Grabowsky served as the Vice President and General Manager of the OptoElectronics business unit of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, a leading provider of sophisticated electronics and communications products, systems engineering solutions, and aerospace products and components, from March 2000 to April 2003. From 1997 to 2000, he served as the Vice President of Teledyne’s Broadband Communications division. Mr. Grabowsky has a B.S. in electrical engineering from Lehigh University.
 
Patrick R. Dellario has served as our Vice President and General Manager, PosiCharge Systems since April 2002. Prior to joining us, Mr. Dellario served in several positions of responsibility with H.R. Textron, a manufacturer of customized hydraulic, pneumatic, fuel management and electromechanical products and solutions for the aerospace and defense industry, including most recently as the General Manager of Servo, Fuel and Pneumatic Products from 1997 to April 2002. Mr. Dellario has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Kentucky and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.
 
Joseph S. Edwards has served as our Vice President and General Manager, Energy Technology Center since July 2002, prior to which he served as our Chief Financial Officer starting in 1996. Before joining us, Mr. Edwards was the Controller of Space Systems/Loral, a leading designer, manufacturer, and integrator of geostationary satellites and satellite systems. Mr. Edwards has a B.S. in economics from Hofstra University and an M.B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
 
Cathleen S. Cline has served as our Vice President of Administration since 1992. Prior to joining us, Ms. Cline was the Human Resources Manager at both Whittaker Electronic Resources and the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers LLP. Ms. Cline has a B.S. in psychology and a B.S. in business management from the University of Oregon.
 
Board of Directors
 
Joseph F. Alibrandi has served as a member of our board of directors since 1999. Mr. Alibrandi has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Alibrandi Associates, a money management firm, since 1999 and is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Whittaker Corporation, a leading designer and manufacturer of a broad range of fluid control devices and systems for both commercial and military aircraft, as well as various industrial applications. Mr. Alibrandi has also served as a director of BancAmerica Corporation, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., Jacobs Engineering, Catellus Development Corp., as Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the International Policy Committee of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the California Business Roundtable’s Task Force on Education and as Co-Chairman of President Reagan’s Grace Commission. Mr. Alibrandi has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
 
Kenneth R. Baker has served as a member of our board of directors since 1994. Mr. Baker has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Altarum Institute, a not-for-profit research institution, since 1999 and prior to that served in a variety of engineering, research and executive management positions with General Motors Corporation, including as program manager of its EV1 program, Vice President of Global Research and Development, and Vice President/General Manager of its Distributed Energy business venture. Mr. Baker is also a member of the board of directors and chair of the audit committee of Millennium Cell, Inc., and a member of the board of directors of the Center for Automotive Research, the National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing and several other philanthropic organizations. Mr. Baker has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University.
 
Arnold L. Fishman has served as a member of our board of directors since 1998. Mr. Fishman is the Founder of Lieberman Research Worldwide, a leading market research firm in the western United


70


Table of Contents

States, Interviewing Service of America, a supplier of market survey services, and Location Production Services, Inc., a firm that co-produces films and arranges specialized financial transactions in Croatia. Mr. Fishman has served as the Chairman of Lieberman Research Worldwide, Interviewing Service of America and Opinionsite.com since 1979, 1983 and 1999, respectively and has been a member of Summit Selling Systems and Location Production Services, Inc. since June 2005 and 2000, respectively. Mr. Fishman has a B.S. in psychology from Brooklyn College.
 
Murray Gell-Mann has served as a member of our board of directors since 1971. Dr. Gell-Mann is a Co-Founder of the Santa Fe Institute, which is devoted to the interdisciplinary study of scientific problems related to simplicity and complexity and to adaptation and evolution, where he has served as a Distinguished Fellow since 1993. Dr. Gell-Mann is a Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Physics at the California Institute of Technology, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a recipient of the Research Corporation Award and the Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute and a 1969 Nobel Prize recipient for physics for his work on the theory of elementary particles. Dr. Gell-Mann is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has served on the President’s Science Advisory Committee and the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. In addition, as one of the directors (1979 to 2002) of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Gell-Mann helped found the World Resources Institute, which conducts policy studies on global environmental problems. Dr. Gell-Mann has a B.S. in physics from Yale University and a Ph.D. in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
 
Charles R. Holland has served as a member of our board of directors since May 2004. General Holland retired as Commander, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command in November 2003 and currently serves as an independent consultant for various entities, including as a consultant of ours since February 2004. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Holland was responsible for all special operations forces of the Army, Navy and Air Force, both active duty and reserve. Mr. Holland serves on the board of directors of General Atomics, Inc. and Protonex Technology Corporation and as an advisor to both Aerospace Integration Corp., a subsidiary of MTC Technologies, and Camber Corporation. Mr. Holland has a B.S. in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, an M.S. in business management from Troy State University (W. Germany) and an M.S. in astronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
 
Board Composition
 
Our board of directors is currently composed of seven members, including five non-employee members, our current Chief Executive Officer, Timothy E. Conver, and our Founder, Paul B. MacCready. Upon completion of this offering, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide for a classified board of directors consisting of three classes of directors, each serving staggered three-year terms. As a result, a portion of our board of directors will be elected each year. To implement the classified structure, prior to the consummation of the offering, two of the nominees to the board will be appointed to one-year terms, two will be appointed to two-year terms and three will be appointed to three-year terms. Thereafter, directors will be elected for three-year terms. Our Class I directors, whose terms will expire at the 2007 annual meeting of stockholders, will be           and          . Our Class II directors, whose terms will expire at the 2008 annual meeting of stockholders, will be           and          . Our Class III directors, whose terms will expire at the 2009 annual meeting of stockholders, will be          ,           and          .
 
Board Committees
 
Our board of directors has established three committees: the audit committee, the compensation committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee. Our board of directors may establish other committees to facilitate the management of our business.
 
Audit Committee.  Our audit committee consists of Messrs. Alibrandi (chair and audit committee financial expert), Baker and Fishman, each of whom our board of directors has determined is


71


Table of Contents

independent within the meaning of the independent director standards of the SEC and The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. This committee’s main function is to oversee our accounting and financial reporting processes, internal systems of control, independent registered public accounting firm relationships and the audits of our financial statements. This committee’s responsibilities include:
 
  •  selecting and hiring our independent registered public accounting firm;
 
  •  evaluating the qualifications, independence and performance of our independent registered public accounting firm;
 
  •  reviewing and approving the audit and non-audit services to be performed by our independent registered public accounting firm;
 
  •  reviewing the design, adequacy, implementation and effectiveness of our internal controls established for finance, accounting, legal compliance and ethics;
 
  •  reviewing the design, adequacy, implementation and effectiveness of our critical accounting and financial policies;
 
  •  overseeing and monitoring the integrity of our financial statements and our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements as they relate to financial statements or accounting matters;
 
  •  reviewing with management and our independent registered public accounting firm our annual and quarterly financial statements;
 
  •  reviewing with management and our independent registered public accounting firm any earnings announcements or other public announcements concerning our operating results;
 
  •  preparing the audit committee report that the SEC will require in our annual proxy statements; and
 
  •  reviewing and approving any related party transactions.
 
Compensation Committee.  Our compensation committee consists of Messrs. Baker and Fishman (chair) and Dr. Gell-Mann, each of whom our board of directors has determined is independent within the meaning of the independent director standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. This committee’s purpose is to assist our board of directors in determining the development plans and compensation for our senior management and directors and recommend these plans to our board. This committee’s responsibilities include:
 
  •  reviewing and recommending compensation and benefit plans for our officers and compensation policies for members of our board of directors and board committees;
 
  •  reviewing the terms of offer letters and employment agreements and arrangements with our officers;
 
  •  setting performance goals for our officers and reviewing their performance against these goals;
 
  •  evaluating the competitiveness of our executive compensation plans and periodically reviewing executive succession plans; and
 
  •  preparing the report that the SEC will require in our annual proxy statements.
 
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.  Our nominating and corporate governance committee consists of Messrs. Alibrandi and Fishman and Dr. Gell-Mann (chair), each of whom our board of directors has determined is independent within the meaning of the independent director standards of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. This committee’s purpose is to assist our board by identifying individuals qualified to become members of our board of directors, consistent with criteria


72


Table of Contents

set by our board, and to develop our corporate governance principles. This committee’s responsibilities include:
 
  •  evaluating the composition, size and governance of our board of directors and its committees and making recommendations regarding future planning and the appointment of directors to our committees;
 
  •  administering a policy for considering stockholder nominees for election to our board of directors;
 
  •  evaluating and recommending candidates for election to our board of directors;
 
  •  overseeing our board of directors’ performance and self-evaluation process; and
 
  •  reviewing our corporate governance principles and providing recommendations to the board regarding possible changes.
 
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
 
None of the members of our compensation committee at any time has been one of our executive officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors or compensation committee. Our entire board of directors made all compensation decisions prior to the creation of our compensation committee.
 
Director Compensation
 
Our non-employee directors are currently paid $1,000 for each board meeting they attend and $500 for each committee meeting they attend. In addition, all of our directors are reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with such services. We have awarded options to purchase our common stock to our non-employee directors on two occasions in the last three fiscal years. In June 2004, we awarded each of Messrs. Alibrandi, Baker, Fishman and Holland and Dr. Gell-Mann options to purchase           shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $      per share. In October 2005, we awarded each of Messrs. Alibrandi, Baker and Fishman and Dr. Gell-Mann options to purchase           shares of our common stock and Mr. Holland options to purchase shares of our common stock, all at an exercise price of $      per share.
 
Following this offering, directors who are not our employees or who are not otherwise affiliated with us will receive compensation that is commensurate with arrangements offered to directors of companies that are similar to us. Compensation arrangements for independent directors established by our board may be in the form of cash payments and/or option grants.


73


Table of Contents

Executive Compensation
 
The following table shows compensation information for our Chief Executive Officer and each of our four other most highly-compensated executive officers, measured by base salary and annual bonus, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. We refer to these officers in this prospectus as our named executive officers.
 
Summary Compensation Table
 
                                         
          Long-Term
       
                      Compensation        
    Annual Compensation     Securities
       
Name and
              Other Annual
    Underlying
    All Other
 
Principal Position
 
Salary
   
Bonus
   
Compensation(1)
   
Options
   
Compensation
 
 
Paul B. MacCready
  $ 249,054     $ 900,000     $           —     $           —     $ 6,713 (2)
Founder and Chairman of the Board
                                       
Timothy E. Conver
    258,461       1,350,000                   8,874 (3)
President and Chief Executive Officer
                                       
Stephen C. Wright
    202,174       87,500                   11,224 (4)
Chief Financial Officer
                                       
John F. Grabowsky
    205,150       100,000                     8,092 (5)
Executive Vice President and General Manager, Unmanned Aircraft Systems
                                       
Patrick R. Dellario
    208,281       59,500                     10,149 (6)
Vice President and General Manager, PosiCharge Systems
                                       
 
(1) Pursuant to applicable SEC regulations, perquisites and other personal benefits are omitted because they did not exceed the lesser of either $50,000 or 10% of total annual salary and bonus.
 
(2) Consists of: (a) a matching payment of $3,909 to our 401(k) plan; (b) $332 representing the value of personal use of company-owned automobile; and (c) $2,472 representing the total value of premium payments for coverage under our group term life plan.
 
(3) Consists of: (a) a matching payment of $4,387 to our 401(k) plan; (b) $2,508 representing the value of personal use of company-owned automobile; and (c) $1,979 representing the total value of premium payments for coverage under our group term life plan.
 
(4) Consists of: (a) a matching payment of $10,691 to our 401(k) plan; and (b) $533 representing the total value of premium payments for coverage under our group term life plan.
 
(5) Consists of: (a) a matching payment of $6,802 to our 401(k) plan; and (b) $1,290 representing the total value of premium payments for coverage under our group term life plan.
 
(6) Consists of: (a) a matching payment of $9,699 to our 401(k) plan; and (b) $450 representing the total value of premium payments for coverage under our group term life plan.
 
Option Grants in Last Fiscal Year
 
The following table sets forth information regarding grants of stock options to each of the named executive officers during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. All options included on the table have


74


Table of Contents

an exercise price equal to no less than the fair market value of our common stock, as determined by our board of directors, on the date of grant.
 
Potential realizable value is based upon an assumed initial public offering price of our common stock of $      per share, the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. Potential realizable values are net of exercise prices, but before taxes associated with exercise. Amounts representing hypothetical gains are those that could be achieved if options are exercised at the end of the option term. The assumed 5% and 10% rates of stock price appreciation are provided in accordance with the rules of the SEC based on the assumed initial offering price and do not represent our estimate or projection of our future stock price. We cannot assure you that any of the values in the table will be achieved. Actual gains, if any, on stock option exercises will depend on the future performance of our common stock and overall stock market conditions.
 
The percentage of total options granted to our employees in the last fiscal year is based on options to purchase an aggregate of           shares of common stock granted under our equity incentive plans to our employees during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006.
 
                                                 
    Individual Grants        
        % of Total
          Potential Realizable
    Number of
  Options
          Value at Assumed
    Shares
  Granted to
          Annual Rates of Stock
    Underlying
  Employees
  Exercise
      Price Appreciation for
    Options
  In Last
  Price Per
  Expiration
 
Options Term
Name
 
Granted
 
Fiscal Year
 
Share
 
Date
  5%   10%
 
Paul B. MacCready
              $   —           $     $  
Timothy E. Conver
                                   
Stephen C. Wright
                                   
John F. Grabowsky
            23.8               10/21/15                                    
Patrick R. Dellario
            7.9               10/21/15                  
 
Aggregate Option Exercises in Last Fiscal Year and Fiscal Year-End Option Values
 
The following table describes for the named executive officers the number and value of securities that they received upon exercise of options during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, and the number and value of securities underlying exercisable and unexercisable options held by them as of April 30, 2006. The value realized and the value of unexercised in-the-money options at April 30, 2006 are based on the assumed initial public offering price of $      per share less the per share exercise price, multiplied by the number of shares issued or issuable, as the case may be, upon exercise of the option.
 
                                                 
    Number of
      Number of Securities
  Value of Unexercised In-the-
    Shares
      Underlying Unexercised
  Money Options at
    Acquired on
  Value
  Options at April 30, 2006   April 30, 2006
Name
  Exercise   Realized   Exercisable   Unexercisable   Exercisable   Unexercisable
 
Paul B. MacCready
        $           —                 $           —     $           —  
Timothy E. Conver
                                           
Stephen C. Wright
                                               
John F. Grabowsky
                                               
Patrick R. Dellario
                                           
 
Employee Benefit and Stock Plans
 
We currently have three plans pursuant to which we provide equity compensation to our employees, consultants and directors, the AeroVironment, Inc. Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, or Option Plan; the AeroVironment, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, or Equity Plan; and the AeroVironment, Inc. Directors’ Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, or Directors Plan, and collectively with the Option Plan and the Equity Plan, the Prior Plans. In connection with this offering, we will be adopting a 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, or 2006 Plan. Upon adoption of the 2006 Plan, no further options will be


75


Table of Contents

granted under the Prior Plans. On July 29, 2006, options to purchase shares of our common stock remained outstanding under the Prior Plans.
 
2006 Plan
 
Prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors and stockholders will approve the 2006 Plan. Once approved, the 2006 Plan will terminate on the earlier of ten years after stockholder approval or when the board of directors terminates the 2006 Plan. The 2006 Plan will provide for the grant of incentive stock options, or ISOs, as defined in Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, nonstatutory stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, or SARs, deferred stock, dividend equivalent rights, performance awards and stock payments, which we collectively refer to as awards, to our employees, consultants and directors.
 
Share Reserve.  The 2006 Plan will reserve for issuance upon grant or exercise of awards up to           shares of our common stock. Once the 2006 Plan becomes subject to Section 162(m) of the Code, no more than           shares may be granted pursuant to awards which are intended to be performance based compensation within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) to any one participant in a twelve-month period. The shares subject to the 2006 Plan, the limitations on the number of shares that may be awarded under the 2006 Plan and shares and option prices subject to awards outstanding under the 2006 Plan will be adjusted as the plan administrator deems appropriate to reflect stock dividends, stock splits, combinations or exchanges of shares, mergers, consolidations, spin-offs, recapitalizations, or other distributions of Company assets. As of the date hereof, no shares of common stock or awards have been granted under the 2006 Plan.
 
Shares withheld for taxes, shares used to pay the exercise price of an option in a net exercise and shares tendered to us to pay the exercise price of an option or other award may be available for future grants of awards under the 2006 Plan. In addition, shares subject to stock awards that have expired, been forfeited or otherwise terminated without having been exercised may be subject to new awards. Shares issued under the 2006 Plan may be previously authorized but unissued shares or reacquired shares bought on the open market or otherwise.
 
Administration.  Generally, the compensation committee of our board will administer the 2006 Plan. However, with respect to awards made to our non-employee directors or to individuals subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the full board will act as the administrator of the 2006 Plan. The compensation committee or the full board, as appropriate, has the authority to
 
  •  select the individuals who will receive awards;
 
  •  determine the type or types of awards to be granted;
 
  •  determine the number of awards to be granted and the number of shares to which the award relates;
 
  •  determine the terms and conditions of any award, including the exercise price and vesting;
 
  •  determine the terms of settlement of any award;
 
  •  prescribe the form of award agreement;
 
  •  establish, adopt or revise rules for administration of the 2006 Plan;
 
  •  interpret the terms of the 2006 Plan and any matters arising under the 2006 Plan; and
 
  •  make all other decisions and determinations as may be necessary to administer the 2006 Plan.
 
The compensation committee may delegate its authority to grant or amend awards with respect to participants other than senior executive officers, employees covered by Section 162(m) of the Code or the officers to whom the authority to grant or amend awards has been delegated.


76


Table of Contents

The compensation committee, with the approval of the board, may also amend the 2006 Plan. Amendments to the 2006 Plan are subject to stockholder approval to the extent required by law, or The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC Marketplace Rules. Additionally, stockholder approval will be specifically required to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the 2006 Plan or to extend the term of an option beyond ten years.
 
Eligibility.  Awards under the 2006 Plan may be granted to individuals who are our employees or employees of our subsidiaries, our non-employee directors and our consultants and advisors. However, options which are intended to qualify as ISOs may only be granted to employees.
 
Awards.  The following will briefly describe the principal features of the various awards that may be granted under the 2006 Plan.
 
  •  Options — Options provide for the right to purchase our common stock at a specified price, and usually will become exercisable in the discretion of the compensation committee in one or more installments after the grant date. The option exercise price may be paid in cash, by check, shares of our common stock which have been held by the option holder for at least six months, other property with value equal to the exercise price, through a broker assisted cashless exercise or such other methods as the committee may approve from time to time. The committee may at any time substitute SARs for options granted under the 2006 Plan. Options may take two forms, nonstatutory options, or NSOs, and ISOs. ISOs will be designed to comply with the provision of the Code and will be subject to certain restrictions contained in the Code in order to qualify as ISOs. Among such restrictions, ISOs must:
 
  •  have an exercise price not less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant, or if granted to certain individuals who own or are deemed to own at least 10% of the total combined voting power of all of our classes of stock (10% stockholders), then such exercise price may not be less than 110% of the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant;
 
  •  be granted only to our employees and employees of our subsidiary corporations;
 
  •  expire within a specified time following the option holder’s termination of employment;
 
  •  be exercised within ten years after the date of grant, or with respect to 10% stockholders, five years after the date of grant; and
 
  •  not be first exercisable during any calendar year for more than $100,000 worth of our common stock, determined based on the exercise price at the time the option is granted.
 
No ISO may be granted under the 2006 Plan after ten years from the date the 2006 Plan is approved by our stockholders.
 
  •  Restricted Stock — A restricted stock award is the grant of shares of our common stock that, during a restricted period, is nontransferable and, unless otherwise determined by the compensation committee at the time of award, may be forfeited upon termination of employment or service. The committee shall determine in the award agreement whether the participant will be entitled to vote the shares of restricted stock and/or receive dividends on such shares.
 
  •  Stock Appreciation Rights — SARs provide for payment to the holder based upon increases in the price of our common stock over a set base price. Payment for SARs may be made in cash, our common stock or any combination of the two.
 
  •  Restricted Stock Units — Restricted stock units represent the right to receive shares of our common stock at a specified date in the future, subject to forfeiture of such right. If the restricted stock unit has not been forfeited, then on the date specified in the restricted stock award we will deliver to the holder of the restricted stock unit unrestricted shares of our common stock, which will be freely transferable.


77


Table of Contents

 
  •  Dividend Equivalents — Dividend equivalents represent the value of the dividends per share we pay, calculated with reference to the number of shares covered by an award (other than a dividend equivalent award) held by the participant.
 
  •  Performance Awards — Performance awards are denominated in shares of our common stock and are linked to satisfaction of performance criteria established by the compensation committee. If the committee determines that the award is intended to meet the requirements of “qualified performance based compensation” and therefore be deductible under Section 162(m) of the Code, then the performance criteria upon which the award will be based shall be with reference to any one or more of the following: net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), economic value-added (as determined by the committee), sales or revenue, net income (either before or after taxes), operating earnings, cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), return on capital, return on assets (net or gross), return on stockholders’ equity, return on sales, gross or net profit margin, productivity, expense margins, operating efficiency, customer satisfaction, working capital, earnings per share, price per share, and market share, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or as compared to results of a peer group.
 
Change in Control.  All awards granted under the 2006 Plan will become exercisable in full upon the occurrence of a change in control (as defined in the 2006 Plan), unless the award is assumed by any successor in such change in control, or the award agreement otherwise provides. In connection with a change in control, the compensation committee may cause the awards to terminate but shall give the holder of the awards the right to exercise their outstanding awards or receive their other rights under the awards outstanding for some period of time prior to the change in control, even though the awards may not be exercisable or otherwise payable. Additionally, the committee may provide that all restrictions imposed on some or all shares of restricted stock or restricted stock units shall lapse.
 
Adjustment upon Certain Events.  The number and kind of securities subject to an award and the exercise price or base price may be adjusted at the discretion of the compensation committee to reflect any stock dividend, stock split, combination or exchange of shares, merger, consolidation, spin-off, recapitalization or other distribution (other than normal cash dividends) of our assets to stockholders, or other similar changes affecting the shares. In addition, upon such events the committee may provide for (1) the termination of any awards in exchange for cash equal to the amount the holder would otherwise be entitled to if they had exercised the award, (2) the full vesting, exercisability or payment of any award, (3) the assumption of such award by any successor, (4) the replacement of such award with other rights or property, (5) the adjustment of the number, type of shares and/or the terms and conditions of the awards which may be granted in the future or (6) the cessation of the ability of awards to vest or become exercisable or payable after such event.
 
Awards not Transferable.  Generally the awards may not be pledged, assigned or otherwise transferred other than by will or by laws of descent and distribution. The compensation committee may allow awards other than ISOs to be transferred for estate or tax planning purposes to members of the holder’s family, charitable institutions or trusts for the benefit of family members. In addition, the committee may allow awards to be transferred to so-called “blind trusts” by a holder of an award who is terminating employment in connection with the holder’s service with the government, an educational or other non-profit institution.
 
Miscellaneous.  As a condition to the issuance or delivery of stock or payment of other compensation pursuant to the exercise or lapse of restrictions on any award, we require participants to discharge all applicable withholding tax obligations. Shares held by or to be issued to a participant may also be used to discharge tax withholding obligations.
 
The 2006 Plan will expire and no further awards may be granted after the tenth anniversary of its approval by our stockholders or, if later, the approval by our board of directors.


78


Table of Contents

Prior Plans
 
We currently have           options to purchase our common stock outstanding under the Prior Plans and have the ability to grant awards up to           additional shares reserved for issuance under the Prior Plans. The kind and number of shares of stock subject to the Prior Plans and the awards thereunder, and the exercise price of any option may be adjusted to reflect any changes in our capitalization due to reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, liquidation, dissolution, sale, transfer or exchange of all or substantially all assets, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase, or other similar events.
 
The Equity Plan provides for grants to employees, directors and consultants of options and restricted stock. The Option Plan provides for grants of options to employees and the Directors Plan provides for grants of options to directors. At this time only options remain outstanding under the Prior Plans. The Prior Plans are currently administered by our board, but following the consummation of this offering the compensation committee of the board will have responsibility for administering the Prior Plans. Upon a change in control, all options granted under the Prior Plans will either be assumed by any successor or if not so assumed, will fully vest and become exercisable.
 
Our board has the right to amend and terminate the Prior Plans. In connection with the adoption of the 2006 Plan, our board will terminate the Prior Plans. Upon such termination no further options or stock purchase rights may be granted under the Prior Plans, although any options previously granted will remain outstanding and exercisable in accordance with their terms.
 
401(k) Plan
 
We sponsor a tax-qualified employee savings and retirement plan, or 401(k) plan, that covers all eligible employees. Under the plan, highly-compensated employees may contribute up to 20% of their cash compensation and non-highly-compensated employees may contribute up to 25% of their cash compensation. We provide matching payments of up to 5.75% of individual employee’s contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis for fiscal years in which we are profitable and on a fifty cents on the dollar basis for fiscal years in which we are not profitable. Our expenses related to this plan amounted to $673,000, $724,000 and $918,000 for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
 
Retiree Medical Plan
 
We sponsor participation in a third-party provided retiree medical plan by the Chairman of our board of directors and our Chief Executive Officer. This plan will provide supplemental medical coverage for each of the participants and their spouses. Coverage under the plan will be effective for each of the participants upon their retirement.
 
Pension Plan
 
On August 19, 2005, we established a supplemental executive retirement plan for the benefit of Dr. MacCready, our Founder and the Chairman of our board of directors. Pursuant to the terms of this plan, in the event that Dr. MacCready retires between July 1, 2006 and July 1, 2007, he will be entitled to receive an annual retirement benefit payable by us in the amount of $200,000. The amount of the annual retirement benefit payable to Dr. MacCready is subject to annual cost of living increases based upon the Consumer Price Index. This plan will terminate automatically upon completion of this offering without any payment to Dr. MacCready.


79


Table of Contents

 
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
Other than compensation agreements and other arrangements which are described as required in “Management” and the transactions described below, since May 1, 2003, there has not been, and there is not currently proposed, any transaction or series of similar transactions to which we were or will be a party in which:
 
  •  the amount involved exceeded or will exceed $60,000; and
 
  •  a director, executive officer, holder of 5% or more of any class of our capital stock or any member of their immediate family had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.
 
All of the transactions set forth below were approved by a majority of the board of directors, including a majority of the independent and disinterested members of the board of directors. We believe that we have executed all of the transactions set forth below on terms no less favorable to us than we could have obtained from unaffiliated third parties. It is our intention to ensure that all future transactions between us and our officers, directors and principal stockholders and their affiliates, are approved by a majority of the board of directors, including a majority of the independent and disinterested members of the board of directors, and are on terms no less favorable to us than those that we could obtain from unaffiliated third parties.
 
Limitation of Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
 
As permitted by Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, we intend to adopt provisions to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws which limit or eliminate the personal liability of our directors for a breach of their fiduciary duty of care as directors. The duty of care generally requires that when acting on behalf of the corporation, directors exercise an informed business judgment based on all material information reasonably available to them. Consequently, a director will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages or breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability for:
 
  •  any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our stockholders;
 
  •  any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law;
 
  •  any act related to unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions or payment of dividends; or
 
  •  any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
 
These limitations of liability, which will be effective upon our reincorporation in Delaware, do not alter liability under the federal securities laws and do not affect the availability of equitable remedies such as injunction or rescission. As permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws will authorize us to indemnify our officers, directors and other agents to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law and provide that:
 
  •  we may indemnify our directors, officers and employees to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions;
 
  •  we may advance expenses to our directors, officers and employees in connection with a legal proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, subject to limited exceptions; and
 
  •  the rights provided in our bylaws are not exclusive.
 
Contemporaneous with the completion of this offering, we intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors which will be in addition to and may be broader than the indemnification provided for in our charter documents. These agreements will provide


80


Table of Contents

that we will indemnify each of our directors to the fullest extent permitted by law and advance expenses to each indemnitee in connection with any proceeding in which indemnification is available.
 
We also maintain general liability insurance that covers certain liabilities of our directors and officers arising out of claims based on acts or omissions in their capacities as directors or officers and intend to obtain a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that will be effective upon completion of this offering which will also cover certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers, or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
 
These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions may also have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against directors and officers, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers pursuant to these indemnification provisions. We believe that these provisions, the indemnification agreements and the insurance are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced directors and officers.
 
At present, there is no pending litigation or proceeding involving any of our directors, officers, employees or agents in which any of them is seeking indemnification from us, nor are we aware of any threatened litigation or proceeding that may result in a claim for indemnification.
 
Transactions with Officers and Directors
 
On July 29, 2004, we entered into a voting agreement with certain of our stockholders, including the P. and J. MacCready Living Trust (Restated), of which Dr. Paul B. MacCready, our Founder and the Chairman of our board of directors, is the trustee, and the Whiting Family Limited Partnership, of which our Chief Executive Officer, Timothy E. Conver, is a limited partner. Pursuant to this agreement, the stockholders named above agreed to vote their shares of our common stock as directed by the Whiting Family Limited Partnership. This agreement will terminate automatically upon completion of this offering.
 
On November 1, 2005, we entered into a consulting agreement with one of our directors, Charles R. Holland. Pursuant to this agreement, Mr. Holland performs consulting services for us on a general basis and with respect to particular individual projects assigned by us. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 and the three months ended July 29, 2006, we paid to Mr. Holland approximately $258,000 and $53,000, respectively, in consulting fees pursuant to the terms of this agreement. On February 1, 2004, we entered a similar consulting agreement with Mr. Holland, pursuant to which we paid Mr. Holland consulting fees of approximately $34,000 and $242,000 during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004 and 2005, respectively.
 
In June 2004, we provided a loan to our Chief Executive Officer, Timothy E. Conver, in the amount of $599,357 to facilitate the exercise of certain stock options held by Mr. Conver. The principal balance plus accrued interest was repaid in full in April 2005.


81


Table of Contents

 
PRINCIPAL AND SELLING STOCKHOLDERS
 
The following table sets forth information about the beneficial ownership of our common stock at July 29, 2006 and as adjusted to reflect the sale of the shares of common stock in this offering, for:
 
  •  each person, or group of affiliated persons known to us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our common stock;
 
  •  each of our named executive officers;
 
  •  each of our directors;
 
  •  all of our executive officers and directors as a group; and
 
  •  each selling stockholder.
 
Unless otherwise noted below, the address of each beneficial owner listed on the table is c/o AeroVironment, Inc., 181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 202, Monrovia, CA 91016.
 
We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the persons and entities named in the tables below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws.
 
We have based our calculation of the percentage of beneficial ownership on 1,935,289 shares of common stock outstanding on July 29, 2006 and           shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of this offering, the latter of which includes an aggregate of           shares of common stock to be sold by certain selling stockholders in this offering that will be issued upon the exercise of outstanding options. In computing the number of shares of common stock beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, we deemed outstanding shares of common stock subject to options held by that person that are currently exercisable or exercisable as of September 27, 2006, which is 60 days after July 29, 2006. We did not deem these shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Beneficial ownership representing less than 1% is denoted with an asterisk (*). Please see “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions” for a description of the material relationships between us and the selling stockholders.
 
                                         
    Shares Beneficially
                   
    Owned Prior to the
          Shares Beneficially
 
   
Offering
    Shares Being
   
Owned After the Offering
 
Beneficial Owner
 
Number
   
Percentage
   
Sold(12)
   
Number
   
Percentage
 
 
5% Stockholders:
                                       
Taylor Family Trust, dated September 8, 1993(1)
    179,825       9.3 %                        
Directors and Named Executive Officers:
                                       
Paul B. MacCready(2)
    811,762       41.9                          
Timothy E. Conver(3)
    669,003       34.6                          
Stephen C. Wright(4)
    14,000       *                          
John F. Grabowsky(5)
    9,600       *                          
Patrick R. Dellario(6)
    10,000       *                          
Joseph F. Alibrandi(7)
    7,400       *                          
Kenneth R. Baker(8)
    7,400       *                          
Arnold L. Fishman(9)
    32,400       1.7                          
Murray Gell-Mann
    9,900       *                          
Charles R. Holland(10)
    2,000       *                          
Executive officers and directors as a group (12 persons)(11)
    1,646,465       80.7                          


82


Table of Contents

                                         
    Shares Beneficially
                   
    Owned Prior to the
          Shares Beneficially
 
   
Offering
    Shares Being
   
Owned After the Offering
 
Beneficial Owner
 
Number
   
Percentage
   
Sold(12)
   
Number
   
Percentage
 
 
Other Selling Stockholders:
                                       
                                         
 
(1) The address for the Taylor Family Trust, dated September 8, 1993, is 1405 S. Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106. Stanley and Joann Taylor are co-trustees of the Taylor Family Trust and have shared voting and investment power over these shares.
 
(2) Includes 439,432 shares held in the P. and J. MacCready Living Trust (Restated), of which Dr. MacCready is the trustee, 23,625 shares held by Ray Morgan, over which Mr. MacCready has voting power pursuant to a proxy granted to him by Mr. Morgan and 116,235 shares held by each of Dr. MacCready’s children, Marshall MacCready, Parker MacCready and Tyler MacCready, over which Dr. MacCready has voting power pursuant to proxies granted to him by his children.
 
(3) Includes 545,965 shares held by the Conver Family Trust, of which Mr. Conver is one of the trustees; 109,238 shares held by the Whiting Family Limited Partnership, over which Mr. Conver, as one of its limited partners, has voting control and 4,600 shares held by each of Mr. Conver’s children, Brent Conver, Morgan Conver and Nicholas Conver, over which Mr. Conver has voting power pursuant to a voting agreement.
 
(4) Includes options to purchase 11,500 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(5) Includes options to purchase 4,000 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(6) Includes options to purchase 6,000 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(7) Includes options to purchase 7,400 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(8) Includes options to purchase 200 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(9) Includes options to purchase 200 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(10) Includes options to purchase 2,000 shares of our common stock that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(11) Includes options to purchase 45,000 shares of our common stock held by Joseph S. Edwards that are fully vested and immediately exercisable. Includes options to purchase 28,000 shares of our common stock held by Cathleen S. Cline that are fully vested and immediately exercisable.
 
(12) If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, the additional shares sold would be allocated among the selling stockholders as follows:
 
         
    Shares Subject to
 
    the Over-allotment
 
Selling Stockholders
 
Option
 
 
 
If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in part, the additional shares sold would be allocated pro rata based upon the share amounts set forth in the preceding table.

83


Table of Contents

 
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
 
Upon completion of this offering, after giving effect to filing of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our authorized capital stock will consist of           shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and           shares of undesignated preferred stock. The following description summarizes some of the terms of our capital stock. Because it is only a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For a complete description, you should refer to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which the prospectus is a part.
 
We plan to reincorporate in the state of Delaware prior to this offering. The following description of our capital stock gives effect to the reincorporation and the related changes in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws.
 
Common Stock
 
On July 29, 2006, there were           shares of common stock outstanding, held of record by 41 stockholders. After this offering, there will be           shares of our common stock outstanding.
 
The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors, and do not have cumulative voting rights. Accordingly, the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors can elect all of the directors standing for election if they so choose, subject to the rights of any preferred stockholders. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then-outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared by our board of directors out of legally available funds. Upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities of our company, subject to the prior rights of any preferred stock then outstanding. Holders of common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights or other subscription rights and there are no redemption or sinking funds provisions applicable to the common stock.
 
Preferred Stock
 
Following the offering, our board of directors will have the authority, without any action by the stockholders, to issue from time to time up to           shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the number of shares, designations, preferences, powers, and relative, participating, optional or other special rights and the qualifications or restrictions thereof. The preferences, powers, rights and restrictions of different series of preferred stock may differ with respect to dividend rates, amounts payable on liquidation, voting rights, conversion rights, redemption provisions, sinking fund provisions, and purchase funds and other matters. The issuance of preferred stock could decrease the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of common stock or adversely affect the rights and powers, including voting rights, of the holders of common stock, and may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company. Holders of shares of preferred stock may be entitled to receive a preference payment in the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding-up before any payment is made to the holders of shares of common stock. The existence of authorized but unissued preferred stock may enable our board of directors to render more difficult or to discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a merger, tender offer, proxy contest or otherwise. For example, if in the due exercise of its fiduciary obligations, our board of directors were to determine that a takeover proposal is not in our best interests, then our board of directors could cause shares of preferred stock to be issued without stockholder approval in one or more private offerings or other transactions that might dilute the voting or other rights of the proposed acquirer or insurgent stockholder or stockholder group. Upon consummation of this offering, there will


84


Table of Contents

be no shares of preferred stock outstanding and we have no present intention to issue any shares of preferred stock.
 
Anti-Takeover Effects of Provisions of Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Our Amended and Restated Bylaws and Delaware Law
 
Some provisions of Delaware law and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, as amended and restated prior to the closing of this offering in connection with our reincorporation in Delaware, will contain provisions that could make the following transactions more difficult, including acquisition of us by means of a tender offer, acquisition of us by means of a proxy contest or otherwise or removal of our incumbent officers and directors.
 
These provisions, summarized below, are expected to discourage coercive takeover practices and inadequate takeover bids. These provisions also are designed to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to first negotiate with our board of directors. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with the proponent of an unfriendly or unsolicited proposal to acquire or restructure us outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging these proposals because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
 
Undesignated Preferred Stock
 
The ability to authorize undesignated preferred stock will make it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock with voting or other rights or preferences that could impede the success of any attempt to change the control of our company. These and other provisions may have the effect of deferring hostile takeovers or delaying changes in control or management of our company.
 
Stockholder Meetings
 
Our charter documents will provide that a special meeting of stockholders may be called only by our chairman of the board or president, or by the president or secretary at the request in writing by a majority of our board of directors.
 
Requirements for Advance Notification of Stockholder Nominations and Proposals
 
Our amended and restated bylaws will establish advance notice procedures with respect to stockholder proposals and the nomination of candidates for election as directors, other than nominations made by or at the direction of our board of directors or a committee of our board of directors.
 
Elimination of Stockholder Action by Written Consent
 
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will eliminate the right of stockholders to act by written consent without a meeting.
 
Election and Removal of Directors
 
Our board of directors will be divided into three classes. The directors in each class will serve for a three-year term, one class being elected each year by our stockholders. For more information on the classified board, see “Management — Board Composition.” This system of electing and removing directors may tend to discourage a third party from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of us, because it generally makes it more difficult for stockholders to replace a majority of the directors.
 
Delaware Anti-Takeover Statute
 
We plan to reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Once we reincorporate in Delaware, we will be subject to the


85


Table of Contents

provisions of Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law which prohibits persons deemed “interested stockholders” from engaging in a “business combination” with a Delaware corporation for three years following the date these persons become interested stockholders. Generally, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years prior to the determination of interested stockholder status did own, 15% or more of a corporation’s voting stock. Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale, or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. The existence of this provision may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by our board of directors.
 
Amendment of Charter Provisions
 
The amendment of any of the above provisions, except for the provision making it possible for our board of directors to issue preferred stock, would require approval by holders of at least 662/3% of our then-outstanding common stock. The provisions of Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting hostile takeovers and, as a consequence, they also may inhibit temporary fluctuations in the market price of our common stock that often result from actual or rumored hostile takeover attempts. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that stockholders may deem otherwise to be in their best interests.
 
Transfer Agent and Registrar
 
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is          , located at          .
 
Nasdaq Global Market Listing
 
We have applied to have our common stock approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “AVAV.”


86


Table of Contents

 
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
 
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. Future sales of our common stock in the public market, or the availability of such shares for sale in the public market, could adversely affect market prices prevailing from time to time. As described below, only a limited number of shares will be available for sale shortly after this offering due to contractual and legal restrictions on resale. Nevertheless, sales of our common stock in the public market after such restrictions lapse, or the perception that those sales may occur, could adversely affect the prevailing market price at such time and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.
 
Sales of Restricted Shares
 
Upon completion of this offering, we will have           shares of common stock outstanding, assuming the issuance of           shares of common stock offered hereby and the issuance of an aggregate of           shares of common stock upon exercise of outstanding options that will be sold by certain selling stockholders in this offering and no other exercise of options after July 29, 2006. Of these shares, the shares sold in this offering, plus any additional shares sold upon exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option, will be freely transferable without restriction under the Securities Act, unless they are held by our “affiliates” as that term is used under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. The remaining           shares of common stock held by existing stockholders are restricted shares. Restricted shares may be sold in the public market only if registered or if they qualify for an exemption from registration under Rules 144 or 701 promulgated under the Securities Act, which rules are summarized below.
 
As a result of the lock-up agreements described below and the provisions of Rule 144, Rule 144(k) and Rule 701 under the Securities Act, the shares of our common stock (excluding the shares sold in this offering) that will be available for sale in the public market are as follows:
 
  •             shares will be eligible for immediate sale on the date of this prospectus;
 
  •             shares will be eligible for sale 90 days after the date of this prospectus;
 
  •             shares will be eligible for sale upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements, as more particularly and except as described below, beginning 180 days after the date of this prospectus; and
 
  •  the remaining           restricted shares will be eligible for sale from time to time thereafter upon expiration of their respective one-year holding periods.
 
Lock-up Agreements
 
We, each of our directors and executive officers, the selling stockholders and certain of our other stockholders, who collectively own           shares of our common stock, based on shares outstanding as of July 29, 2006, have agreed that, without the prior written consent of Goldman, Sachs & Co. on behalf of the underwriters, we and they will not, subject to limited exceptions, during the period ending 180 days after the date of this prospectus, subject to extension in specified circumstances:
 
  •  offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for common stock; or
 
  •  enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of our common stock, whether any transaction described above is to be settled by delivery of our common stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise.


87


Table of Contents

 
This 180-day period may be extended if (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day period we issue an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to us occurs; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day period, we announce that we will release earnings results during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 180-day period. The period of such extension will be 18 days, beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event.
 
Any determination to release any shares subject to the lock-up agreements would be made on a case-by-case basis based on a number of factors at the time of determination, including the market price of the common stock, the liquidity of the trading market for the common stock, general market conditions, the number of shares proposed to be sold and the timing, purpose and terms of the proposed sale. Goldman, Sachs & Co., on behalf of the underwriters, may in its sole discretion and at any time without notice release some or all of the shares subject to lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the 180-day period. See “Underwriting.”
 
In addition, stockholders who collectively own           shares of our outstanding common stock, as of July 29, 2006, have agreed to a similar lock-up arrangement with us.
 
We do not currently expect any release of shares subject to lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the applicable lock-up periods. Upon the expiration of the applicable lock-up periods, substantially all of the shares subject to such lock-up restrictions will become eligible for sale, subject to the limitations discussed above.
 
Rule 144
 
In general, under Rule 144 as in effect on the date of this prospectus, beginning 90 days after the date of this offering, our affiliates, or a person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who has beneficially owned restricted shares (as defined under Rule 144) for at least one year, is entitled to sell within any three-month period a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of one percent of the then outstanding shares of common stock or the average weekly trading volume of the common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market during the four calendar weeks immediately preceding the date on which notice of the sale is filed with the SEC. Sales under Rule 144 are subject to requirements relating to the manner of sale, notice, and the availability of current public information about us.
 
Rule 144(k)
 
A person (or persons whose shares are aggregated) who was not our affiliate at any time during the 90 days immediately preceding the sale and who has beneficially owned restricted shares for at least two years is entitled to sell such shares under Rule 144(k) without regard to the limitations described above.
 
Rule 701
 
In general, under Rule 701 of the Securities Act as currently in effect, any of our directors, employees, consultants or advisors who purchased shares from us in connection with a compensatory stock or option plan or written employment agreement is eligible to resell such shares 90 days after the date of the offering in reliance on Rule 144 by complying with the applicable requirements of Rule 144 of the Securities Act other than the holding period conditions. In addition, non-affiliates may sell Rule 701 shares without complying with the public information, volume and notice provisions of Rule 144. On the date 90 days after the effective date of this offering, options to purchase approximately           shares of our common stock will be vested and exercisable and upon exercise and after expiration of the lock-up restrictions described above, may be sold pursuant to Rule 701 of the Securities Act.


88


Table of Contents

Equity Incentive Plans
 
We intend to file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register shares of our common stock that we may issue upon exercise of outstanding options issued or reserved for issuance under our Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, Directors’ Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, 2002 Equity Incentive Plan and 2006 Equity Incentive Plan. The registration statement is expected to be filed and become effective as soon as practicable after the completion of this offering. Accordingly, shares registered under the registration statement will be available for sale in the open market following its effective date, unless such shares are subject to vesting restrictions, Rule 144 volume limitations or the 180-day lock-up arrangement described above, if applicable.


89


Table of Contents

 
UNDERWRITING
 
The company, the selling stockholders and the underwriters named below have entered into an underwriting agreement with respect to the shares being offered. Subject to certain conditions, each underwriter has severally agreed to purchase the number of shares indicated in the following table. Goldman, Sachs & Co. is the representative of the underwriters.
 
         
    Number of
 
Underwriters
 
Shares
 
 
Goldman, Sachs & Co. 
       
Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., Inc. 
       
Jefferies Quarterdeck, a division of Jefferies & Company, Inc. 
       
Raymond James & Associates, Inc. 
       
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
                  
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
       
         
Total
       
         
 
The underwriters are committed to take and pay for all of the shares being offered, if any are taken, other than the shares covered by the option described below unless and until this option is exercised.
 
If the underwriters sell more shares than the total number set forth in the table above, the underwriters have an option to buy up to an additional           shares from the selling stockholders to cover such sales. They may exercise that option for 30 days. If any shares are purchased pursuant to this option, the underwriters will severally purchase shares in approximately the same proportion as set forth in the table above.
 
The following tables show the per share and total underwriting discounts and commissions to be paid to the underwriters by the company and the selling stockholders. Such amounts are shown assuming both no exercise and full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase           additional shares.
 
Paid by the company
 
                 
   
No Exercise
   
Full Exercise
 
 
Per Share
  $           $        
Total
  $           $        
 
Paid by the selling stockholders
 
                 
   
No Exercise
   
Full Exercise
 
 
Per Share
  $           $        
Total
  $       $  
 
Shares sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus. Any shares sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount of up to $      per share from the initial public offering price. If all the shares are not sold at the initial public offering price, the representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms.
 
The selling stockholders may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act.
 
The company and its officers, directors, and holders of substantially all of the company’s common stock, including the selling stockholders, have agreed with the underwriters, subject to


90


Table of Contents

certain exceptions, not to dispose of or hedge any of their common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock during the period from the date of this prospectus continuing through the date 180 days after the date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent of the representative. This agreement does not apply to any existing employee benefit plans. See “Shares Available for Future Sale” for a discussion of certain transfer restrictions.
 
These restrictions do not apply to:
 
  •  the sale of shares to the underwriters;
 
  •  the issuance by the company of shares of its common stock upon the exercise of an option or a warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date of this prospectus of which the underwriters have been advised in writing;
 
  •  the entry by the company’s directors or executive officers into written trading plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, provided that no sales or other dispositions may occur under such plans until the expiration of the restricted period;
 
  •  transactions relating to shares of common stock or other securities acquired in open market transactions after the completion of this offering;
 
  •  the sale or transfer by a stockholder of shares of common stock or any security convertible into common stock to the company upon termination of such stockholder’s employment with the company;
 
  •  the sale or transfer of shares of common stock to pay the exercise price of options to purchase common stock pursuant to the cashless exercise feature of such options;
 
  •  transfers by a stockholder to a trust, all of the beneficial interests of which are held, directly or indirectly, by such stockholder; or
 
  •  transfers of shares or any security convertible into common stock as a bona fide gift;
 
provided that, in the case of the last two bullet points, each recipient agrees to accept the restrictions described in the immediately preceding paragraph and, in the case of each of the last six transactions, no filing under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of common stock is required in connection with these transactions during the 180-day period.
 
The 180-day restricted period described in the preceding paragraph will be automatically extended if: (1) during the last 17 days of the 180-day restricted period the company issues an earnings release or announces material news or a material event; or (2) prior to the expiration of the 180-day restricted period, the company announces that it will release earnings results during the 15-day period following the last day of the 180-day period, in which case the restrictions described in the preceding paragraph will continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the announcement of the material news or material event.
 
Prior to the offering, there has been no public market for the shares. The initial public offering price will be negotiated among the company and the representatives. Among the factors to be considered in determining the initial public offering price of the shares, in addition to prevailing market conditions, will be the company’s historical performance, estimates of the business potential and earnings prospects of the company, an assessment of the company’s management and the consideration of the above factors in relation to market valuation of companies in related businesses.
 
The company has applied to have the common stock approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “AVAV.”
 
In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell shares of common stock in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Shorts sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering. “Covered” short


91


Table of Contents

sales are sales made in an amount not greater than the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares from the selling stockholders in the offering. The underwriters may close out any covered short position by either exercising their option to purchase additional shares or purchasing shares in the open market. In determining the source of shares to close out the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase additional shares pursuant to the option granted to them. “Naked” short sales are any sales in excess of such option. The underwriters must close out any naked short position by purchasing shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the common stock in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of various bids for or purchases of common stock made by the underwriters in the open market prior to the completion of the offering.
 
The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the representative has repurchased shares sold by or for the account of such underwriter in stabilizing or short covering transactions.
 
Purchases to cover a short position and stabilizing transactions, as well as other purchases by the underwriters for their own accounts, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the company’s stock, and together with the imposition of the penalty bid, may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the common stock. As a result, the price of the common stock may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued at any time. These transactions may be effected on the Nasdaq Global Market or relevant exchange, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.
 
Each of the underwriters has represented and agreed that:
 
(a) it has not made or will not make an offer of shares to the public in the United Kingdom within the meaning of section 102B of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) (FSMA) except to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities or otherwise in circumstances which do not require the publication by the company of a prospectus pursuant to the Prospectus Rules of the Financial Services Authority (FSA);
 
(b) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) to persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 or in circumstances in which section 21 of FSMA does not apply to the company; and
 
(c) it has complied with, and will comply with all applicable provisions of FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the shares in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.
 
European Economic Area
 
In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a Relevant Member State), each underwriter has represented and agreed that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the Relevant Implementation Date) it has not made and will not make an offer of shares to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the shares which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the


92


Table of Contents

competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of shares to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time:
 
(a) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities;
 
(b) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year; (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts; or
 
(c) in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by the company of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.
 
For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of shares to the public” in relation to any shares in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the shares to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the shares, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State and the expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.
 
The shares may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the shares may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to shares which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.
 
This prospectus has not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the shares may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the shares be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.
 
Where the shares are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the shares under Section 275 except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified


93


Table of Contents

in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.
 
The securities have not been and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan (the Securities and Exchange Law) and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.
 
At our request, Raymond James & Associates, Inc. has reserved for sale as part of the underwritten offering, at the initial public offering price, up to           shares, or     % of the total number of shares offered by this prospectus, for the company’s directors, officers, employees, business associates and other persons with whom the company has a relationship. If purchased by these persons, these shares will be subject to a 180-day lock-up restriction. The number of shares of common stock available for sale to the general public will be reduced to the extent such persons purchase such reserved shares. Any reserved shares that are not so purchased will be offered by the underwriters to the general public on the same basis as the other shares offered in this prospectus.
 
The underwriters do not expect sales to discretionary accounts to exceed five percent of the total number of shares offered.
 
The company estimates that its share of the total expenses of the offering, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, will be approximately $     .
 
The company and the selling stockholders have agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.


94


Table of Contents

 
LEGAL MATTERS
 
The validity of our common stock offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Latham & Watkins LLP, San Diego, California. The underwriters have been represented by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP.
 
EXPERTS
 
The consolidated financial statements (including the schedule appearing therein) of AeroVironment, Inc. at April 30, 2005 and 2006, and for each of the three years in the period ended April 30, 2006, appearing in this prospectus and registration statement have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of our common stock offered hereby. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of the registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits and schedules filed herewith. For further information with respect to us and the common stock offered hereby, reference is made to the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed therewith. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract or any other document that is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement are not necessarily complete, and each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the full text of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement. A copy of the registration statement and the exhibits and schedules filed herewith may be inspected without charge at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of these materials may be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the SEC at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 upon the payment of the fees prescribed by the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference facility. The SEC also maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov.
 
Upon completion of this offering, we will become subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, and in accordance therewith, will file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. Such periodic reports, proxy statements and other information will be available for inspection and copying at the SEC’s public reference rooms and on the SEC’s website.


95


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements
 
Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
 
         
  F-2
  F-3
  F-4
  F-5
  F-6
  F-7
  F-25
     
  F-26
  F-27
  F-28
  F-29
   
 
All other schedules are omitted because either they are not applicable, not required or the information is included in the consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto.


F-1


Table of Contents

 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
The Board of Directors and Shareholders
AeroVironment, Inc. and Subsidiaries
 
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of AeroVironment, Inc. and subsidiaries as of April 30, 2005 and 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 30, 2006. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 16. These consolidated financial statements and schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and schedule based on our audits.
 
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Our audit included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of AeroVironment, Inc. and subsidiaries at April 30, 2005 and 2006, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 30, 2006, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set forth therein.
 
/s/ Ernst & Young, LLP
 
Los Angeles, California
July 22, 2006


F-2


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands except share data)
 
                 
    April 30  
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Assets
Current assets:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 10,060     $ 15,388  
Restricted cash
          1,532  
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $88 in 2005 and $86 in 2006
    19,378       21,582  
Unbilled receivables and retentions
    788       4,842  
Inventories, net
    11,505       11,453  
Deferred income taxes
    1,134       1,090  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    2,587       621  
                 
Total current assets
    45,452       56,508  
Property and equipment, net
    4,175       6,098  
Deferred income taxes
    647       2,053  
Other assets
    90       119  
                 
Total assets
  $ 50,364     $ 64,778  
                 
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 9,273     $ 8,521  
Wages and related accruals
    5,089       8,451  
Customer advances
    9,732       9,031  
Other current liabilities
    1,046       2,027  
Current maturities of long-term debt
    1,000        
                 
Total current liabilities
    26,140       28,030  
Deferred rent
    77       408  
Long-term debt, less current maturities
    1,500        
Long-term retirement costs
          2,209  
Commitments and contingencies
               
Shareholders’ equity:
               
Common stock, no par value:
               
Authorized shares — 25,000,000
               
Issued and outstanding shares — 1,838,339 shares in 2005 and 1,887,489 in 2006
    1,651       1,726  
Retained earnings
    20,996       32,405  
                 
Total shareholders’ equity
    22,647       34,131  
                 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 50,364     $ 64,778  
                 
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.


F-3


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Consolidated Statements of Income
(In thousands except share and per share data)
 
                         
    Year Ended April 30  
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Revenue:
                       
Product sales
  $ 30,342     $ 85,291     $ 98,664  
Contract services
    17,338       19,864       40,693  
                         
      47,680       105,155       139,357  
Cost of sales:
                       
Product sales
    20,084       39,123       55,483  
Contract services
    13,038       19,426       27,115  
                         
      33,122       58,549       82,598  
                         
Gross margin
    14,558       46,606       56,759  
Research and development
    1,715       9,799       16,098  
Selling, general and administrative
    9,725       16,545       24,577  
                         
Income from operations
    3,118       20,262       16,084  
Interest income
    2       61       333  
Interest expense
    (90 )     (110 )     (127 )
                         
Income before income taxes
    3,030       20,213       16,290  
Provision for income taxes
    859       5,531       4,881  
                         
Net income
  $ 2,171     $ 14,682     $ 11,409  
                         
Earnings per share data:
                       
Net income
                       
Basic
  $ 1.32     $ 8.15     $ 6.17  
                         
Diluted
  $ 1.26     $ 7.46     $ 5.40  
                         
Weighted average shares outstanding:
                       
Basic
    1,639,543       1,800,930       1,848,822  
                         
Diluted
    1,718,460       1,967,550       2,113,395  
                         
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.


F-4


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity
(In thousands except share data)
 
 
                                 
    Common Stock     Retained
       
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Earnings
   
Total
 
 
Balance at May 1, 2003
    1,649,587     $ 1,220     $ 4,143     $ 5,363  
Stock options exercised
    15,000       53             53  
Repurchase of common shares
    (22,838 )     (73 )           (73 )
Net income
                2,171       2,171  
                                 
Balance at April 30, 2004
    1,641,749       1,200       6,314       7,514  
Stock options exercised
    257,040       884             884  
Repurchase of common shares
    (60,450 )     (433 )           (433 )
Net income
                14,682       14,682  
                                 
Balance at April 30, 2005
    1,838,339       1,651       20,996       22,647  
Stock options exercised
    69,950       274             274  
Tax benefit from exercise of stock options
          113             113  
Repurchase of common shares
    (20,800 )     (312 )           (312 )
Net income
                11,409       11,409  
                                 
Balance at April 30, 2006
    1,887,489     $ 1,726     $ 32,405     $ 34,131  
                                 
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.


F-5


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
 
                         
    Year ended April 30  
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Operating activities
                       
Net income
  $ 2,171     $ 14,682     $ 11,409  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
                       
Depreciation and amortization
    764       1,053       1,999  
Long-term retirement costs
                2,209  
Provision for doubtful accounts
    3       53       (2 )
Deferred income taxes
    185       (678 )     (1,362 )
Tax benefit from exercise of stock options
                113  
(Gain) loss on disposition of property and equipment
    (51 )     (4 )     268  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
                       
Accounts receivable
    (2,422 )     (9,139 )     (2,203 )
Unbilled receivables and retentions
    (5,134 )     4,118       (4,053 )
Inventories
    (2,785 )     (6,824 )     52  
Prepaid expenses and other assets
    (11 )     (2,220 )     1,937  
Accounts payable
    2,670       3,828       (752 )
Customer advances
    5,496       4,614       (701 )
Other liabilities
    684       (651 )     4,674  
                         
Net cash provided by operating activities
    1,570       8,832       13,588  
Investing activities
                       
Acquisition of property and equipment
    (1,373 )     (3,541 )     (4,190 )
Transfer to restricted cash
                (1,532 )
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment
    57       8        
                         
Net cash used in investing activities
    (1,316 )     (3,533 )     (5,722 )
Financing activities
                       
Payment of long-term debt
    (422 )     (500 )     (2,500 )
Proceeds from long-term debt
    1,500       1,500        
Exercise of stock options
    53       884       274  
Repurchase of common stock
    (73 )     (433 )     (312 )
                         
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
    1,058       1,451       (2,538 )
                         
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
    1,312       6,750       5,328  
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
    1,998       3,310       10,060  
                         
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
  $ 3,310     $ 10,060     $ 15,388  
                         
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
                       
Cash paid during the year for:
                       
Interest
  $ 78     $ 93     $ 139  
Income taxes
  $ 670     $ 8,040     $ 3,229  
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.


F-6


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
 
April 30, 2006
 
1.   Organization and Significant Accounting Policies
 
Organization
 
AeroVironment, Inc., a California corporation, is engaged in design, development and production of unmanned aircraft systems and energy technologies for various industries and governmental agencies.
 
Significant Accounting Policies
 
Basis of Consolidation
 
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AeroVironment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: AV S.r.l., Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC, Inc. and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC (collectively referred to herein as the “Company”). AV S.r.l. was created during the year ended April 30, 2006, to enable customer support efforts in Italy and future business development in Europe; no sales were recorded in the year ended April 30, 2006. Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC, Inc. and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC had no operations during the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
 
Segments
 
The Company’s products are sold and divided among three reportable segments, as defined by SFAS No. 131, Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information, to reflect the Company’s strategic goals. Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s CODM is the Chief Executive Officer who reviews the revenue and gross margin results for each of these segments in making decisions about allocating resources, including the focus of research and development activities, and assessing performance. The Company’s reportable segments are business units that offer different products and services and are managed separately.
 
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions, including estimates of anticipated contract costs and revenue utilized in the revenue recognition process, that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Cash Equivalents
 
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. The Company invests its excess cash primarily in money market funds and certificates of deposit of major financial institutions. Accordingly, these instruments are subject to minimal credit and market risk. As of April 30, 2005 and 2006, cash equivalents totaled approximately $10,027,000 and $13,670,000, respectively. At times, cash balances held at financial institutions were in excess of federally insured limits.


F-7


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

Restricted Cash
 
Restricted cash of approximately $1,532,000, as of April 30, 2006, represents deposits with a bank to secure standby letters of credit aggregating approximately $1,652,000, as of April 30, 2006, established for the benefit of the Company’s customers. The restriction on cash will be released upon expiration of the standby letters of credit. The standby letters of credit will expire when the Company’s customers provide product acceptance and release their interest in the letters of credit. Management believes this will occur prior to April 30, 2007. There were no requirements for restricted cash at April 30, 2005. As of April 30, 2006, there were no claims relevant to the letters of credit.
 
Fair Values of Financial Instruments
 
Fair values of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable, unbilled receivables and retentions approximate cost due to the short period of time to maturity.
 
Concentration of Credit Risk
 
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of accounts receivable. The Company’s revenue and accounts receivable are with a limited number of corporations and governmental entities. In the aggregate, 69%, 74% and 77% of the Company’s revenue came from agencies of the U.S. government for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. These agencies accounted for 70% and 77% of the accounts receivable balances at April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively. One such agency, the U.S. Army, accounted for 23%, 43% and 54% of the Company’s consolidated revenue for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. The U.S. Army accounted for approximately 36%, 55% and 66% of UAS reportable segment sales in fiscal year 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its commercial customers and maintains an allowance for potential losses.
 
Accounts Receivable, Unbilled Receivables and Retentions
 
Accounts receivable represents primarily U.S. government, and to a lesser extent commercial receivables, net of allowances for doubtful accounts. Unbilled receivables represent costs in excess of billings on incomplete contracts and, where applicable, accrued profit related to government long-term contracts on which revenue has been recognized, but for which the customer has not yet been billed. Retentions represent amounts withheld by customers until contract completion. The Company determines the allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical customer experience and other currently available evidence. When a specific account is deemed uncollectible, the account is written off against the allowance. The allowance for doubtful accounts reflects the Company’s best estimate of probable losses inherent in the accounts receivable balance; such losses have been within management’s expectations. An account is deemed past due based on contractual terms rather than on how recently payments have been received.
 
Inventories
 
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using the weighted average costing method) or market value. Inventory write-offs and write-down provisions are provided to cover risks arising from slow-moving items or technological obsolescence and for market prices lower than cost. The Company periodically evaluates the quantities on hand relative to current and historical selling prices and historical and projected sales volume. Based on this evaluation, provisions are made to write inventory down to its market value. The Company’s inventory reserve balance was $0.6 million,


F-8


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

$1.1 million and $0.8 million at April 30, 2004, 2005, and 2006, respectively. The increase in the inventory reserve of $0.5 million to $1.1 million at April 30, 2005 from $0.6 million at April 30, 2004 was primarily due to additional inventory reserves for the an earlier generation small UAS product line.
 
Long-Lived Assets
 
Property and equipment are carried at cost. Depreciation of property and equipment, including amortization of leasehold improvements, are provided using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:
 
         
Assets held for lease
    2 to 5 years  
Machinery and equipment
    3 years  
Computer equipment and software
    2 to 3 years  
Furniture and fixtures
    3 years  
Leasehold improvements
    Lesser of useful life or term of lease  
 
Maintenance, repairs and minor renewals are charged directly to expense as incurred. Additions and betterments to property, plant and equipment are capitalized at cost. When the Company disposes of assets, the applicable costs and accumulated depreciation and amortization thereon are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in selling, general and administrative expense in the period incurred. Depreciation and amortization expense on property, plant and equipment was approximately $764,000, $1,053,000 and $1,999,000 for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
 
The Company reviews the recoverability of its long-lived assets as required by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. The estimated future cash flows are based upon, among other things, assumptions about expected future operating performance, and may differ from actual cash flows. If the sum of the projected undiscounted cash flows (excluding interest) is less than the carrying value of the assets, the assets will be written down to the estimated fair value in the period in which the determination is made. At April 30, 2005 and 2006, and during the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, no indicators of impairment were identified and no impairment reserve was recorded.
 
Product Warranty
 
The Company accrues an estimate of its exposure to warranty claims based upon both current and historical product sales data and warranty costs incurred. Product warranty reserves were recorded in other current liabilities.
 
Self-Insurance Liability
 
The Company is self-insured for employee medical claims, subject to individual and aggregate stop-loss policies. The Company estimates a liability for claims filed and incurred but not reported claims based upon recent claims experience and an analysis of the average period of time between the occurrence of a claim and the time it is reported to and paid by the Company. As of April 30, 2005 and 2006, the Company estimated and recorded a self insurance liability in wages and related accruals of approximately $140,000 and $238,000 respectively.


F-9


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

Income Taxes
 
The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with FASB Statement No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed annually for differences between the financial statement and income tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in taxable or deductible amounts in the future. The provision for income taxes reflects the taxes to be paid for the period and the change during the period in the deferred income tax assets and liabilities. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount of future tax benefit that is more likely then not to be realized.
 
Customer Advances and Amounts in Excess of Cost Incurred
 
The Company receives advances, performance-based payments and progress payments from customers that may exceed costs incurred on certain contracts, including contracts with agencies of the U.S. government. These advances are classified as advances from customers and will be offset against billings.
 
Revenue Recognition
 
The substantial majority of the Company’s revenue is generated pursuant to written contractual arrangements to design, develop, manufacture and/or modify complex products, and to provide related engineering, technical and other services according to the specifications of the buyers (customers). These contracts may be fixed price or cost-reimbursable. The Company considers all contracts for treatment in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Emerging Issues Task Force No. 00-21,Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables” (“EITF 00-21”). EITF 00-21 provides for deferral to higher authoritative guidance, including American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Statement of Position 81-1, Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain Production-Type Contracts (“SOP 81-1”), under which the majority of the Company’s contracts are properly accounted for. Contracts which provide for multiple deliverables to which SOP 81-1 does not apply are accounted for in accordance with the provisions of EITF No. 00-21.
 
Product sales revenue is composed of revenue recognized on contracts for the delivery of production hardware and related activities. Contract services revenue is composed of revenue recognized on contracts for the provision of services, including repairs, training, engineering design, development, and prototyping activities.
 
Revenue from cost-plus-fee contracts are recognized on the basis of costs incurred during the period plus the fee earned. Revenue from fixed-price contracts are recognized on the percentage-of-completion method. Contract costs include all direct material and labor costs and those indirect costs related to contract performance. Unbilled receivables represent costs incurred and related profit on contracts not yet billed to customers, and are invoiced in subsequent periods.
 
Product sales revenue are recognized on the percentage-of-completion method or upon transfer of title to the customer, which is generally upon shipment. Shipping and handling costs incurred are included in cost of sales.
 
Revenue and profits on fixed-price production contracts, where units are produced and delivered in a continuous or sequential process, are recorded as units are delivered based on their selling prices (the “units-of-delivery method”). Revenue and profits on other fixed-price contracts with significant engineering as well as production requirements are recorded based on the ratio of total actual incurred costs to date to the total estimated costs for each contract (“the cost-to-cost method”). Accounting for revenue and profits on a fixed-price contract requires the preparation of estimates of


F-10


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

(1) the total contract revenue, (2) the total costs at completion, which is equal to the sum of the actual incurred costs to date on the contract and the estimated costs to complete the contract’s statement of work, and (3) the measurement of progress towards completion. The estimated profit or loss at completion on a contract is equal to the difference between the total estimated contract revenue and the total estimated cost at completion. Under the units-of-delivery method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded as the units are delivered during the period based on their contractual selling prices. Under the cost-to-cost method, sales on a fixed-price type contract are recorded at amounts equal to the ratio of actual cumulative costs incurred divided by total estimated costs at completion, multiplied by (i) the total estimated contract revenue, less (ii) the cumulative sales recognized in prior periods. The profit recorded on a contract in any period using either the units-of-delivery method or cost-to-cost method is equal to (i) the current estimated total profit margin multiplied by the cumulative sales recognized, less (ii) the amount of cumulative profit previously recorded for the contract. In the case of a contract for which the total estimated costs exceed the total estimated revenue, a loss arises, and a provision for the entire loss is recorded in the period that it becomes evident. The unrecoverable costs on a loss contract that are expected to be incurred in future periods are recorded in the program cost.
 
Significant management judgments and estimates must be made and used in connection with the recognition of revenue in any accounting period. Material differences in the amount of revenue in any given period may result if these judgments or estimates prove to be incorrect or if management’s estimates change on the basis of development of the business, market conditions, or other factors. Management judgments and estimates have been applied consistently and have been reliable historically.
 
Stock-Based Compensation
 
The Company grants stock options with an exercise price equal to the fair value of the stock at the date of grant. The Company accounts for stock-based compensation plans using the intrinsic-value-based method of accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles Board Opinion (“APB”) No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees, and related interpretations. Under APB No. 25, if the exercise price of the Company’s employee stock options equals or exceeds the fair value of the underlying stock at the date of grant, no compensation expense is recognized. In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation — Transition and Disclosure, the Company discloses net income and basic diluted earnings per share as reported; the stock-based employee compensation cost, net of related tax effects, that would have been included in the determination of net income if the fair value based method had been applied to all awards; pro forma net income as if the fair value based method had been applied to all awards; and pro forma basic and diluted earnings per share as if the fair value based method had been applied to all awards. Stock-based employee compensation cost included in the determination of net income as reported is not reported, as no compensation cost was recorded in the periods presented.
 
Share Repurchases
 
The Company repurchases shares in accordance with various repurchase agreements which give the Company the right to repurchase shares from employees upon their separation from the Company and which specify the terms of such repurchase. The Company also repurchases shares from other shareholders at the discretion of its Board of Directors which are not subject to a share repurchase plan.
 
The Company repurchases shares subject to repurchase agreements at a price calculated by the terms of those agreements, which approximates fair value. The Company negotiates the purchase


F-11


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

price for shares not subject to repurchase agreements, which it believes also approximates fair value. Accordingly, no compensation expense is recognized.
 
Repurchased shares are restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares.
 
Research and Development
 
Internally funded research and development costs (“IRAD”) sponsored by the Company relate to both U.S. government products and services and those for commercial and foreign customers. IRAD costs for the Company’s businesses that are U.S. government contractors are recoverable indirect contract costs that are allocated to the U.S. government contracts in accordance with U.S. government procurement regulations.
 
Customer-funded research and development costs are incurred pursuant to contracts (revenue arrangements) to perform research and development activities according to customer specifications. These costs are direct contract costs and are expensed to cost of sales when the corresponding revenue is recognized, which is generally as the research and development services are performed. Revenue from customer-funded research and development were approximately $17,339,000, $10,641,000 and $11,568,000 for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. The related costs of sales for customer-funded research and development were approximately $7,086,000, $5,390,000 and $8,184,000 for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
 
Lease Accounting
 
The Company accounts for its leases under the provisions of SFAS No. 13, Accounting for Leases, and subsequent amendments, which require that leases be evaluated and classified as operating leases or capital leases for financial reporting purposes. Certain operating leases contain rent escalation clauses, which are recorded on a straight-line basis over the initial term of the lease with the difference between the rent paid and the straight-line rent recorded as a deferred rent liability. Lease incentives received from landlords are recorded as deferred rent liabilities and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the lease term as a reduction to rent expense. Deferred rent liabilities were approximately $77,000 and $408,000 as of April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
 
Advertising Costs
 
Advertising costs consist of tradeshows and other marketing activities, and are expensed as incurred. Advertising expenses included in selling, general and administrative expenses were approximately $100,000, $423,000 and $266,000 for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
 
Earnings Per Share
 
Basic earnings per share are computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding and excludes any anti-dilutive effects of options, warrants and convertible securities. The dilutive effect of potential common shares outstanding is included in diluted earnings per share.


F-12


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

The reconciliation of diluted to basic shares is as follows:
 
                         
    Year Ended April 30  
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Denominator for basic earnings per share:
                       
Weighted average common shares
    1,639,543       1,800,930       1,848,822  
Dilutive effect of employee stock options
    78,917       166,620       264,573  
                         
Denominator for diluted earnings per share
    1,718,460       1,967,550       2,113,395  
                         
 
During the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, there were no stock options that were anti-dilutive to earnings per share.
 
Recently Issued Accounting Standards
 
In June 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 150, Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of Both Liabilities and Equity. This statement establishes standards for how an issuer classifies and measures certain financial instruments with characteristics of both liabilities and equity. It requires that an issuer classify a financial instrument within its scope as a liability. Many of these instruments were previously classified as equity. In October 2003, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (“FSP”) SFAS 150-3, Effective Date for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Noncontrolling Interests Under SFAS 150, which defers certain provisions of Statement No. 150 as they apply to mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests. The deferral is expected to remain in effect while those issues are addressed in either Phase II of the FASB’s Liabilities and Equity project or Phase II of the Business Combination project. The FASB also decided to (1) preclude any “early” adoption of the deferred provisions for these noncontrolling interests during the deferral period, and (2) require the restatement of any consolidated financial statements that have been issued where these provisions of Statement No. 150 were applied to mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests. The Company does not believe that the impact of the adoption will have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
 
In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment (“SFAS 123R”). SFAS 123R requires that compensation expense relating to share-based payment transactions be recognized in financial statements at estimated fair value. The scope of SFAS 123R includes a wide range of share-based compensation arrangements, including share options, restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans. This standard replaces SFAS 123 and supersedes APB 25. The Company has historically utilized the minimum value method in determining the volatility factors utilized in its fair value estimates as a non-public entity. SFAS 123R does not provide for the use of the minimum value method. If the Company is unable to accurately estimate its expected volatility based on the Company’s share price, it may measure awards based on “calculated value” (which substitutes the volatility of an appropriate index for the volatility of the entity’s own share price). The Company plans to adopt SFAS 123R on the prospective basis as of May 1, 2006. Since the Company used the minimum value method of measuring stock options for pro forma disclosure purposes under SFAS 123, implementation of SFAS 123R applies prospectively to new awards after May 1, 2006. Share-based benefits will be valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value will be expensed over the vesting period. The adoption of SFAS 123R will result in the recording of non-cash compensation expense for options granted on or after May 1, 2006. If the Company issues options, it may have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations.


F-13


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

In March 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) No. 107, Share-Based Payment (“SAB 107”). SAB 107 provides guidance to assist registrants in the initial implementation of SFAS 123R. SAB 107 includes, but is not limited to, interpretive guidance related to share-based payment transactions with non-employees, valuation methods and underlying expected volatility and expected term assumptions, the classification of compensation expense and accounting for the income tax effects of share-based arrangements upon adopting SFAS 123R.
 
In May 2005, the FASB issued SFAS No. 154 (“SFAS 154”), Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, which requires retrospective application of all voluntary changes in accounting principles to all periods presented, rather than using a cumulative catch-up adjustment as currently required for most accounting changes under APB Opinion 20, Accounting Changes. SFAS 154 replaces APB Opinion No. 20 and SFAS No. 3, Reporting Accounting Changes in Interim Financial Statements, and will be effective for accounting changes and error corrections made in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2005. The adoption of SFAS 154 is not expected to have any impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations or cash flows.
 
In June 2005, the FASB approved Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) Issue No. 05-06, Determining the Amortization Period for Leasehold Improvements (“EITF 05-06”). EITF 05-06 provides guidance on determining the amortization period for leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination or acquired subsequent to lease inception. The guidance requires that leasehold improvements acquired in a business combination or purchased subsequent to the inception of a lease be amortized over the lesser of the useful life of the assets or a term that includes renewals that are reasonably assured at the date of the business combination or purchase. The guidance is effective for periods beginning after June 29, 2005. EITF 05-06 is not expected to have any impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
 
2.  Inventories, net
 
Inventories consist of the following:
 
                 
    April 30  
   
2005
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Raw materials
  $ 3,568     $ 4,750  
Work in process
    5,404       2,413  
Finished goods
    3,665       5,103  
                 
      12,637       12,266  
Reserve for inventory obsolescence
    (1,132 )     (813 )
                 
Inventories, net
  $ 11,505     $ 11,453  
                 


F-14


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

3.   Property and Equipment, net
 
Property and equipment consist of the following:
 
                 
    April 30  
   
2005
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Assets held for lease
  $ 699     $ 998  
Leasehold improvements
    1,335       1,556  
Machinery and equipment
    3,467       5,163  
Furniture and fixtures
    1,086       1,347  
Computer equipment and software
    2,693       5,387  
Construction in process
    2,127       560  
                 
      11,407       15,011  
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization
    (7,232 )     (8,913 )
                 
Property and equipment, net
  $ 4,175     $ 6,098  
                 
 
4.   Warranty Reserves
 
Warranty reserves consist of the following:
 
                 
    April 30  
   
2005
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Beginning balance
  $ 160     $ 282  
Warranty expense
    315       589  
Warranty costs incurred
    (193 )     (527 )
                 
Ending balance
  $ 282     $ 344  
                 
 
5.   Bank Borrowings
 
The Company has a working capital line of credit with a bank, amended on June 16, 2005, which increased the borrowing limit from $10,000,000 to $16,500,000. Borrowings bear interest at the bank’s prime commercial lending rate, which was 5.75% and 7.75% as of April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively. The line of credit is secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets. Payment of amounts outstanding is made at the Company’s discretion. The line of credit is secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets. All principal plus accrued interest is due August 31, 2007. The Company had no outstanding balance on the line of credit as of April 30, 2006.
 
Under the same credit agreement, the Company had a term loan dated March 31, 2004, payable over 36 months. Borrowings bear interest at the bank’s prime commercial lending rate, which was 4.00%, 5.75% and 7.75% at April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. There were $1,000,000 in borrowings outstanding under this term loan as of April 30, 2005. All principal plus accrued interest were repaid in the year ended April 30, 2006.
 
Under the same credit agreement, the Company had a term loan dated March 31, 2005, payable over 36 months. Borrowings bear interest at the bank’s prime commercial lending rate, which was 5.75% and 7.75% at April 30, 2005 and 2006, respectively. There were $1,500,000 in borrowings


F-15


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

outstanding under this term loan as of April 30, 2005. All principal plus accrued interest were repaid in the year ended April 30, 2006.
 
Interest expense was approximately $90,000, $110,000 and $127,000 for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, and is included in other expenses, net.
 
The credit agreement contains certain financial covenants and conditions which require, among other things, that the Company maintain certain tangible net worth and cash flow ratios. The Company was in compliance with these covenants as of April 30, 2005 and 2006.
 
6.   Employee Savings Plan
 
The Company has an employee 401(k) savings plan covering all eligible employees. The Company expensed approximately $673,000, $724,000 and $918,000 in contributions to the plan for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. Annual contributions are at the discretion of management.
 
7.   Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
 
On May 19, 2005, the Company implemented a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“SERP”), which is a non-qualified executive benefit plan in which the Company agrees to pay the Chairman of the Board (“Chairman”) additional benefits at retirement. The SERP is an unfunded plan, which means there are no specific assets set aside by the Company. The Chairman has no rights under the agreement beyond those of a general creditor of the Company. During the year ended April 30, 2006, the Company recognized approximately $2,209,000 of expense charged to operations and recorded such expense as a long-term liability in connection with this plan. The SERP was fully vested on May 19, 2006, the first anniversary of the Chairman’s participation. On the occurrence of a liquidity event as defined by the SERP, including but not limited to a successful initial public offering of equity securities, all remaining benefits to be paid under the plan are forfeited.
 
The unfunded liability was estimated using the following assumptions: an annual Consumer Price Index increase of 5% for the expected benefit period based on U.S. mortality statistics, and a discount rate of 7.75%.
 
Benefits are payable under the SERP as follows:
 
         
    Year ending
 
   
April 30
 
    (In thousands)  
 
2007
  $ 200  
2008
    210  
2009
    221  
2010
    232  
2011
    243  
Thereafter
    2,814  
         
    $ 3,920  
         
 
8.   Stock Based Compensation
 
The Company has an Equity Incentive Plan (the “2002 Plan”) for officers, directors and key employees. Under the 2002 Plan, incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options may be


F-16


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

granted, as determined by the administrator at the time of grant. Stock purchase rights may also be granted under the 2002 Plan. The maximum number of options which may be granted under the 2002 Plan is equal to 50% of the Company’s total shares outstanding, less options outstanding under plans other than the 2002 Plan, but not to exceed 500,000. At April 30, 2006, 247,700 options were available for grant under the 2002 Plan. Options under the 2002 Plan are granted at their fair market value (as determined by the board of directors). The options become exercisable at various times over a five-year period from the grant date.
 
The Company has a 1992 nonqualified stock option plan (the “1992 Plan”) for certain officers and key employees. Options under the 1992 Plan were granted at their fair market value (as determined by the board of directors) at the date of grant and became exercisable at various times over a five-year period from the grant date. The 1992 Plan expired in August 2002.
 
The Company has a 1994 nonqualified stock option plan (the “1994 Directors’ Plan”) for the directors of the Company. Options under the 1994 Directors’ Plan were granted at their fair market value (as determined by the board of directors) at the date of grant and became exercisable on the date of grant. The 1994 Directors’ Plan expired in June 2004.
 
Stock purchased through exercise of options under the 1992 Plan, the 1994 Directors’ Plan and the 2002 Plan are subject to various repurchase agreements which give the Company the right to repurchase shares from employees upon separation from the Company and specify the terms of such repurchase. The Company is not obligated to repurchase such shares.


F-17


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

Information related to the stock option plans at April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, and for the years then ended is as follows:
 
                                                 
    2002 Plan     1994 Directors’ Plan     1992 Plan  
          Weighted-
          Weighted-
          Weighted-
 
          Average
          Average
          Average
 
          Exercise
          Exercise
          Exercise
 
   
Shares
   
Price
   
Shares
   
Price
   
Shares
   
Price
 
 
Outstanding at
May 1, 2003
    127,000     $ 4.60       210,140     $ 3.57       424,000     $ 3.73  
Options granted
    7,000       4.48                          
Options exercised
                (15,000 )     3.55              
Options canceled
                (5,000 )     2.60       (4,000 )     4.17  
                                                 
Outstanding at
April 30, 2004
    134,000     $ 4.60       190,140     $ 3.60       420,000     $ 3.73  
Options granted
    61,000       5.50                          
Options exercised
    (10,600 )     4.78       (180,140 )     3.57       (66,300 )     2.87  
Options canceled
    (1,000 )     4.48                   (1,800 )     4.17  
                                                 
Outstanding at
April 30, 2005
    183,400     $ 4.89       10,000     $ 4.17       351,900     $ 3.89  
Options granted
    63,000       15.00                          
Options exercised
    (9,150 )     4.69                   (60,800 )     3.81  
Options canceled
    (4,700 )     5.50                          
                                                 
Outstanding at
April 30, 2006
    232,550     $ 7.62       10,000     $ 4.17       291,100     $ 3.91  
                                                 
Options exercisable at April 30, 2004
    31,800     $ 4.58       190,140     $ 3.60       381,800     $ 3.68  
Options exercisable at April 30, 2005
    46,000     $ 4.55       10,000     $ 4.17       336,900     $ 3.88  
Options exercisable at April 30, 2006
    73,750     $ 4.70       10,000     $ 4.17       291,100     $ 3.91  
 
The Company granted 63,000 options on October 20, 2005 at an exercise price of $15, which was equal to the fair value. The fair value was determined by recent substantial transactions in the Company’s stock, which consisted of two arms’ length sales between third parties of 25,000 previously issued shares of the Company’s common stock each at $15 per share on September 1, 2005 and on October 5, 2005.
 
The weighted-average remaining contractual life of the outstanding options under the 2002 Plan, the 1992 Plan and 1994 Directors’ Plan is 5.61 years at April 30, 2006.


F-18


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

The following tabulation summarizes certain information concerning outstanding and exercisable options at April 30, 2006:
 
                                         
    Options Outstanding              
          Weighted
                   
          Average
          Options Exercisable  
          Remaining
    Weighted
          Weighted
 
Range of
  As of
    Contractual
    Average
    As of
    Average
 
Exercise
  April 30,
    Life In
    Exercise
    April 30,
    Exercise
 
Prices
 
2006
   
Years
   
Price
   
2006
   
Price
 
 
$2.60
    49,000       7.15     $ 2.60       49,000     $ 2.60  
$4.17
    252,100       5.41     $ 4.17       252,100     $ 4.17  
$4.17-$5.50
    169,550       7.05     $ 4.88       73,750     $ 4.70  
$15.00
    63,000       9.47     $ 15.00              
                                         
$2.60-$15.00
    533,650       6.57     $ 5.53       374,850     $ 4.07  
                                         
 
The Company adopted SFAS No. 148, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation — Transition and Disclosure, which amends SFAS No. 123 to provide alternative methods of transition for a voluntary change to the fair-value-based method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation. In addition, SFAS No. 148 amends the disclosure requirement of SFAS No. 123 to require more prominent and more frequent disclosures in consolidated financial statements of the effects of stock-based compensation.
 
If the Company had elected to recognize compensation cost based on the fair value of the options granted at the grant date as prescribed by SFAS No. 148, net income would have been reduced to the pro forma amounts shown below:
 
                         
    Year ended April 30  
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
 
    (In thousands except share
 
    and per share data)  
 
Pro forma:
                       
Net income — as reported
  $ 2,171     $ 14,682     $ 11,409  
Stock based compensation, net of tax
    (48 )     (42 )     (114 )
                         
Net income — pro forma
  $ 2,123     $ 14,640     $ 11,295  
                         
Earnings per share data
                       
Basic — reported
  $ 1.32     $ 8.15     $ 6.17  
Basic — pro forma
  $ 1.29     $ 8.13     $ 6.11  
Diluted — reported
  $ 1.26     $ 7.46     $ 5.40  
Diluted — pro forma
  $ 1.24     $ 7.44     $ 5.34  
Weighted average shares outstanding used in computation:
                       
Basic
    1,639,543       1,800,930       1,848,822  
                         
Diluted
    1,718,460       1,967,550       2,113,395  
                         
 
The effects of applying SFAS No. 123 as amended by SFAS No. 148, for purposes of determining pro forma net income, are not likely to be representative of the effects on reported net


F-19


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

income for future years. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the minimum value option pricing model, with the following assumptions used: risk-free interest rate of 3.0%, 4.0% and 6.75% for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, an expected options life of four, five and five years after vesting for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, and no expected dividends.
 
Subsequent to April 30, 2006 and through July 1, 2006, various employees exercised approximately 42,900 shares of the Company’s stock.
 
9.   Income Taxes
 
A reconciliation of income tax expense computed using the U.S. federal statutory rates to actual income tax expense is as follows:
 
                         
    Year Ended April 30  
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
U.S. federal statutory income tax rate
    34.0 %     35.0 %     35.0 %
State and local income taxes, net of federal benefit
    5.2       5.7       5.5  
R&D credit
    (11.0 )     (14.5 )     (11.6 )
Other
    0.2       1.2       1.1  
                         
Effective Income Tax Rate
    28.4 %     27.4 %     30.0 %
                         
 
The components of the provision for income taxes are as follows:
 
                         
    Year ended April 30  
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Current:
                       
Federal
  $ 407     $ 5,730       $5,321  
State
    267       478       922  
                         
      674       6,208       6,243  
Deferred:
                       
Federal
    212       (149 )     (897 )
State
    (27 )     (616 )     (463 )
                         
      185       (765 )     (1,360 )
Change in valuation allowance
          88       (2 )
                         
Total income tax expense
  $ 859     $ 5,531       $4,881  
                         


F-20


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

Significant components of the Company’s deferred income tax assets are as follows:
 
                 
    April 30  
   
2005
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Deferred income tax assets:
               
Book over tax depreciation
  $ 196     $ 411  
Accrued expenses
    600       1,672  
Allowances, reserves, and other
    534       391  
Research and development credit carryforwards
    451       663  
Net operating loss and other
    203       207  
      1,984       3,344  
Less: valuation allowance
    (203 )     (201 )
                 
Total deferred income tax assets
  $ 1,781     $ 3,143  
                 
 
The Company’s California net operating loss carryforwards of approximately $77,000 expire in 2007 and 2008. The research and development credits of approximately $1,999,000 and the other carryforwards are indefinite and therefore do not expire.
 
The Company has established a valuation allowance against its California capital loss carryforward and solar credit net deferred tax assets, as it is unlikely that such assets will be fully utilized.
 
10.   Related Party Transactions
 
In June 2004, the Company provided a loan to our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), in the amount of approximately $599,000 to facilitate the exercise of certain stock options held by the CEO. The proceeds of the loan were used to exercise 118,450 options granted in May 1998 under the 1994 Directors’ Plan with a strike price of $3.55, and 7,000 options granted in October 2002 under the 2002 Plan with a strike price of $4.93, including related income tax withholding. The options were granted at or above fair market value, as determined by the Board of Directors. Both the strike price and number of options were known at the date of grant, and no changes were subsequently made to any of the options; therefore, variable accounting is not required. The note was a full-recourse note which bore interest at 4.25%. The note was secured by a pledge of stock other than that being purchased through the proceeds of the note. All principal plus accrued interest were due August 31, 2007 or on the day immediately prior to the Company’s filing of a registration statement with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The principal balance plus accrued interest were repaid in April 2005.
 
On July 29, 2004, the Company entered into a voting agreement with certain of its stockholders, including the P. and J. MacCready Living Trust (Restated), of which Dr. Paul B. MacCready, the Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors, is the trustee, and the Whiting Family Limited Partnership, of which the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Timothy E. Conver, is a limited partner. Pursuant to this agreement, the stockholders named above agreed to vote their shares of the Company’s common stock as directed by the Whiting Family Limited Partnership. This agreement terminates automatically in the event of a public offering of equity.
 
Pursuant to a consulting agreement, the Company paid a board member approximately $34,000, $242,000 and $258,000 during the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively, for consulting services independent of his board service. The agreement stipulates the payment of approximately $16,000 plus expenses per month, in exchange for consulting services.


F-21


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

During the year ended April 30, 2006, the Company employed the services of Summit Selling Systems, Inc. (“Summit”), and accordingly paid Summit approximately $35,000. One of the Company’s board members has a beneficial interest in Summit.
 
11.   Commitments and Contingencies
 
Commitments
 
The Company’s operations are conducted in leased facilities. Following is a summary of non-cancelable operating lease commitments:
 
         
    Year ending
 
   
April 30
 
    (In thousands)  
 
2007
  $ 1,477  
2008
    1,231  
2009
    1,259  
2010
    883  
2011
    272  
         
    $ 5,122  
         
 
Rental expense under operating leases was approximately $1,057,000, $1,428,000 and $1,723,000 for the years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.
 
Contingencies
 
The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims which arise out of the ordinary course of its business. Although occasional adverse decisions or settlements may occur, the Company, in consultation with legal counsel, believes that the final disposition of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of the Company.
 
Contract Cost Audits
 
Payments to the Company on government cost reimbursable contracts are based on provisional, or estimated indirect rates, which are subject to an annual audit by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (“DCAA”). The cost audits result in the negotiation and determination of the final indirect cost rates that the Company may use for the period(s) audited. The final rates, if different from the provisional rates, may create an additional receivable or liability for the Company. The Company’s revenue recognition policy calls for revenue recognized on all cost reimbursable government contracts to be recorded at actual rates unless collectibility is not reasonably assured.
 
12.   Segment Data
 
The Company’s product segments are as follows:
 
  •  Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“UAS”) — The UAS segment consists primarily of the design and manufacture of small unmanned aircraft systems solutions.
 
  •  PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems (“PosiCharge”) — The PosiCharge segment supplies fast charge systems for users of electric industrial vehicle batteries.


F-22


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

 
  •  Energy Technology Center — The Energy Technology Center segment consists of energy development projects and power processing test equipment product sales.
 
The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in Note 1, “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.” Because the products they design and sell generally define the operating segments, they do not make sales to each other. Depreciation and amortization related to the manufacturing of goods is included in gross margin for the segments. The Company does not discretely allocate assets to its operating segments, nor does the CODM evaluate operating segments using discrete asset information. Consequently, the Company operates its financial systems as a single segment for accounting and control purposes, maintains a single indirect rate structure across all segments, has no inter-segment sales or corporate elimination transactions, and maintains only limited financial statement information by segment.
 
The segment results are as follows:
 
                         
    Year Ended April 30  
   
2004
   
2005
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Revenue
                       
UAS
  $ 30,372     $ 82,249     $ 111,104  
PosiCharge
    9,111       15,642       19,928  
Energy Technology Center
    8,197       7,264       8,325  
                         
Total
    47,680       105,155       139,357  
Gross margin
                       
UAS
    10,161       37,235       44,558  
PosiCharge
    3,524       5,846       8,062  
Energy Technology Center
    873       3,525       4,139  
                         
Total
    14,558       46,606       56,759  
                         
Research and development
    1,715       9,799       16,098  
Selling, general and administrative
    9,725       16,545       24,577  
                         
Income from operations
    3,118       20,262       16,084  
Interest income
    2       61       333  
Interest expense
    (90 )     (110 )     (127 )
                         
Income before income taxes
  $ 3,030     $ 20,213     $ 16,290  
                         
 
Geographic Information
 
Sales to non-U.S. customers accounted for 8.4%, 4.5% and 1.5% of revenue for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively.


F-23


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
 

13.   Quarterly Results of Operations (unaudited)
 
The following table presents selected unaudited consolidated financial data for each of the eight quarters in the two-year period ended April 30, 2006. In the Company’s opinion, this unaudited information has been prepared on the same basis as the audited information and includes all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair statement of the financial information for the period presented.
 
                                 
    Three Months Ended  
    July 31,
    October 30,
    January 29,
    April 30,
 
   
2004
   
2004
   
2005
   
2005
 
    (In thousands except per share data)  
 
Year ended April 30, 2005
                               
Revenue
  $ 18,305     $ 27,951     $ 26,212     $ 32,687  
Gross margin
  $ 6,035     $ 11,122     $ 11,485     $ 17,964  
Net income
  $ 1,018     $ 4,211     $ 3,651     $ 5,802  
Net income per share — Basic(1)
  $ 0.60     $ 2.30     $ 1.99     $ 3.16  
Net income per share — Diluted(1)
  $ 0.55     $ 2.17     $ 1.88     $ 2.84  
 
                                 
    Three Months Ended  
    July 30,
    October 29,
    January 28,
    April 30,
 
   
2005
   
2005
   
2006
   
2006
 
    (In thousands except per share data)  
 
Year ended April 30, 2006
                               
Revenue
  $ 30,752     $ 42,550     $ 35,468     $ 30,587  
Gross margin
  $ 11,236     $ 17,650     $ 15,377     $ 12,496  
Net income (loss)
  $ 1,338     $ 6,028     $ 3,972     $ 71  
Net income (loss) per share — Basic
  $ 0.73     $ 3.28     $ 2.15     $ 0.04  
Net income (loss) per share — Diluted
  $ 0.65     $ 2.85     $ 1.88     $ 0.03  
 
(1) Earnings per share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. The sum of the quarterly earnings per share in fiscal 2005 and 2006 does not equal the total earnings per share computed for the year due to rounding.


F-24


Table of Contents

 
SCHEDULE II — VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
 
                                         
          Additions              
    Balance at
    Charged to
    Charged to
          Balance at
 
    Beginning
    Costs and
    Other
          End of
 
Description
 
of Period
   
Expenses
   
Accounts
   
Deductions
   
Period
 
 
Allowance for doubtful accounts for the year ended April 30:
                                       
2004
  $ 32     $ 153     $ 36     $ (186 )   $ 35  
2005
  $ 35     $ 159     $     $ (106 )   $ 88  
2006
  $ 88     $ 6     $     $ (8 )   $ 86  
Warranty reserve for the year ended April 30:
                                       
2004
  $ 160     $ 236     $     $ (236 )   $ 160  
2005
  $ 160     $ 315     $     $ (193 )   $ 282  
2006
  $ 282     $ 589     $     $ (527 )   $ 344  
Reserve for inventory excess and obsolescence for the year ended April 30:
                                       
2004
  $ 364     $ 913     $ 517     $ (1,201 )   $ 593  
2005
  $ 593     $ 2,355     $ 1,537     $ (3,353 )   $ 1,132  
2006
  $ 1,132     $     $ 505     $ (824 )   $ 813  


F-25


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands except share data)
 
                 
    April 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2006
   
2006
 
          (Unaudited)  
 
Assets
Current assets:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 15,388     $ 13,478  
Restricted cash
    1,532       1,555  
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $86 in April 30, 2006 and $86 in July 29, 2006
    21,582       14,313  
Unbilled receivables and retentions
    4,842       5,310  
Inventories, net
    11,453       11,037  
Deferred income taxes
    1,090       1,090  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    621       709  
                 
Total current assets
    56,508       47,492  
Property and equipment, net
    6,098       6,112  
Deferred income taxes
    2,053       2,053  
Other assets
    119       119  
                 
Total assets
  $ 64,778     $ 55,776  
                 
 
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity
Current liabilities:
               
Accounts payable
  $ 8,521     $ 5,312  
Wages and related accruals
    8,451       5,173  
Customer advances
    9,031       4,312  
Other accrued liabilities
    2,027       2,452  
                 
Total current liabilities
    28,030       17,249  
Deferred rent
    408       392  
Long-term retirement costs
    2,209       2,209  
Commitments and contingencies
               
Shareholders’ equity:
               
Common stock, no par value:
               
Authorized shares — 25,000,000
               
Issued and outstanding shares — 1,887,489 at April 30, 2006 and 1,935,289 at July 29, 2006
    1,726       2,156  
Retained earnings
    32,405       33,770  
                 
Total shareholders’ equity
    34,131       35,926  
                 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 64,778     $ 55,776  
                 
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.


F-26


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(In thousands except share and per share data)
 
                 
    Three months ended  
    July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Revenue:
               
Product sales
  $ 25,933     $ 23,844  
Contract services
    4,819       7,713  
                 
      30,752       31,557  
Cost of sales:
               
Product sales
    16,242       14,301  
Contract services
    3,274       5,270  
                 
      19,516       19,571  
                 
Gross margin
    11,236       11,986  
Research and development
    3,509       3,841  
Selling, general and administrative
    5,822       6,132  
                 
Income from operations
    1,905       2,013  
Other income (expense)
               
Interest income
    37       206  
Interest expense
    (30 )      
                 
Income before income taxes
    1,912       2,219  
Provision for income taxes
    574       854  
                 
Net income
  $ 1,338     $ 1,365  
                 
Earnings per share data:
               
Net income
               
Basic
  $ 0.73     $ 0.71  
                 
Diluted
  $ 0.65     $ 0.63  
                 
Weighted average shares outstanding:
               
Basic
    1,838,339       1,919,361  
                 
Diluted
    2,050,620       2,154,890  
                 
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.


F-27


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
 
                 
    Three months ended  
    July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Operating activities
               
Net income
  $ 1,338     $ 1,365  
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:
               
Depreciation and amortization
    373       667  
Long-term retirement costs
    559        
Tax benefit from grant of stock options
          213  
Loss on disposition of property and equipment
    185        
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
               
Accounts receivable
    5,803       7,269  
Unbilled receivables and retentions
    (2,584 )     (468 )
Inventories
    1,622       416  
Other assets
    (19 )     (88 )
Accounts payable
    (4,000 )     (3,209 )
Customer advances
    (4,919 )     (4,719 )
Other liabilities
    583       (2,869 )
                 
Net cash and cash equivalents used in operating activities
    (1,059 )     (1,423 )
         
Investing activities
               
Acquisition of property and equipment
    (636 )     (681 )
Transfer to restricted cash
          (23 )
                 
Cash and cash equivalents used in investing activities
    (636 )     (704 )
         
Financing activities
               
Payment of long-term debt
    (743 )     (6,232 )
Proceeds of long-term debt
    493       6,232  
Exercise of stock options
          217  
                 
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
    (250 )     217  
                 
Net decrease in cash
    (1,945 )     (1,910 )
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
    10,060       15,388  
                 
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
  $ 8,115     $ 13,478  
                 
         
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
               
Cash paid during the period for:
               
Interest
  $ 38     $ 5  
Income taxes
  $ 69     $ 13  
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.


F-28


Table of Contents

AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
 
1.   Organization and Significant Accounting Policies
 
Organization
 
AeroVironment, Inc., a California corporation, is engaged in design, development and production of unmanned aircraft systems and energy technologies for various industries and governmental agencies.
 
Basis of Presentation
 
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or interim financial information and with the instructions of Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation with respect to the interim financial statements have been included. The results of operations for the three months ended July 29, 2006 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year ending April 30, 2007. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto for the year ended April 30, 2006, included herein.
 
Basis of Consolidation
 
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of AeroVironment, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries: AV S.r.l., Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC, Inc. and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC (collectively referred to herein as the “Company”). AV S.r.l. was created during the year ended April 30, 2006, to enable customer support efforts in Italy and future business development in Europe; no sales were recorded in the year ended April 30, 2006. Skytower, LLC, Skytower Inc., AILC, Inc. and Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems, LLC had no operations during the three months ended July 28, 2005 and July 29, 2006. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
 
Segments
 
The Company’s products are sold and divided among three reportable segments as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 131, Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information to reflect the Company’s strategic goals. Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company’s CODM is the Chief Executive Officer who reviews the revenue and gross margin results for each of these segments in making decisions about allocating resources, including the focus of research and development activities, and assessing performance. The Company’s reportable segments are business units that offer different products and services and are managed separately.
 
Use of Estimates
 
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions, including estimates of anticipated contract costs and revenue utilized in the revenue recognition process, that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.


F-29


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)

Recently Issued Accounting Standards
 
In November 2005, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued FASB Staff Position No. FAS 123R-3 (“FSP 123R-3”), Transition Election Related to Accounting for the Tax Effects of Share-Based Payment Awards. FSP 123R-3 provides an elective alternative transition method for calculating the pool of excess tax benefits available to absorb tax deficiencies recognized subsequent to the adoption of FAS 123R. Companies may take up to one year from the effective date of FSP 123R-3 to evaluate the available transition alternatives and make a one-time election as to which method to adopt. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the alternative methods.
 
In July 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes — An Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 (FIN 48). FIN 48 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. FIN 48 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. This accounting standard will be effective for the Company beginning May 1, 2007. The Company is currently assessing the provisions of FIN 48.
 
2.   Inventories, net
 
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using the weighted average costing method) or market value. Inventory write-offs and write-down provisions are provided to cover risks arising from slow-moving items or technological obsolescence and for market prices lower than cost. The Company periodically evaluates the quantities on hand relative to current and historical selling prices and historical and projected sales volume. Based on this evaluation, provisions are made to write inventory down to its market value.
 
Inventories consist of the following:
 
                 
    April 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2006
   
2006
 
    (In thousands)  
 
Raw materials
  $ 4,750     $ 4,449  
Work in process
    2,413       2,757  
Finished goods
    5,103       4,661  
                 
      12,266       11,867  
Reserve for inventory obsolescence
    (813 )     (830 )
                 
Inventories, net
  $ 11,453     $ 11,037  
                 
 
3.   Bank Borrowings
 
The Company has a working capital line of credit with a bank, amended on June 16, 2005, which increased the borrowing limit from $10,000,000 to $16,500,000. Borrowings bear interest at the bank’s prime commercial lending rate, which was 7.75% and 8.25% as of April 30, 2006 and July 29, 2006, respectively. The line of credit is secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets. Payment of amounts outstanding is made at the Company’s discretion. The line of credit is secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets. All principal plus accrued interest is due August 31, 2007. The Company had no outstanding balance on the line of credit as of April 30, 2006 and July 29, 2006.
 
Interest expense was approximately $30,000 and $6,000 for the three months ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006, respectively, and is included in other (expenses) income, net.


F-30


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)

 
The credit agreement contains certain financial covenants and conditions which require, among other things, that the Company maintain certain tangible net worth and cash flow ratios. The credit agreement also restricts the Company from paying any dividends to stockholders. The Company was in compliance with these covenants as of April 30, 2006 and July 29, 2006.
 
4.   Earnings Per Share
 
The reconciliation of diluted to basic shares is as follows:
 
                 
    Three Months Ended  
    July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Denominator for basic earnings per share:
               
Weighted average common shares
    1,838,339       1,919,361  
Dilutive effect of employee stock options
    212,281       235,529  
                 
Denominator for diluted earnings per share
    2,050,620       2,154,890  
                 
 
During the three months ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006, there were no stock options that were anti-dilutive to earnings per share.
 
5.   Stock Based Compensation
 
In December 2004, the FASB issued SFAS No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment (“SFAS 123R”). SFAS 123R requires that compensation expense relating to share-based payment transactions be recognized in financial statements at estimated fair value. The scope of SFAS 123R includes a wide range of share-based compensation arrangements, including share options, restricted share plans, performance-based awards, share appreciation rights, and employee share purchase plans. This standard replaces SFAS 123 and supersedes APB 25. The Company has historically used the minimum value method in determining the volatility factors utilized in its fair value estimates as a non-public entity. SFAS 123R does not provide for the use of the minimum value method. If the Company is unable to accurately estimate its expected volatility based on the Company’s share price, it may measure awards based on “calculated value” (which substitutes the volatility of an appropriate index for the volatility of the entity’s own share price). Share-based benefits will be valued at fair value using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value will be expensed over the vesting period. The adoption of SFAS 123R will result in the recording of non-cash compensation expense for options granted on or after May 1, 2006.
 
The Company adopted SFAS 123R effective May 1, 2006.  Because the Company historically used the minimum value method of measuring stock options, implementation of SFAS 123R applies prospectively to new awards after adoption. No expense is recognized for options granted prior to adoption. No awards were granted and no expense recognized during the three months ended July 29, 2006 as a result of adoption.
 
The Company has an Equity Incentive Plan (the 2002 Plan) for officers, directors and key employees. Under the 2002 Plan, incentive stock options or nonqualified stock options may be granted, as determined by the administrator at the time of grant. Stock purchase rights may also be granted under the 2002 Plan. The maximum number of options which may be granted under the 2002 Plan is equal to 50% of the Company’s total shares outstanding, less options outstanding under plans other than the 2002 Plan, but not to exceed 500,000. At July 29, 2006, 248,600 options were available for grant under the 2002 Plan. Options under the 2002 Plan are granted at their fair market value. The options become exercisable at various times over a five-year period from the grant date.


F-31


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)

Information related to the stock option plans at July 29, 2006 and for the three months then ended is as follows:
 
                                                 
    2002 Plan     1994 Directors’ Plan     1992 Plan  
          Weighted
          Weighted-
          Weighted
 
          Average
          Average
          Average
 
          Exercise
          Exercise
          Exercise
 
   
Shares
   
Price
   
Shares
   
Price
   
Shares
   
Price
 
 
Outstanding at April 30, 2006
    232,550     $ 7.62       10,000     $ 4.17       291,100     $ 3.91  
Options granted
                                   
Options exercised
    (28,600 )     4.79       (5,000 )     4.17       (14,200 )     4.17  
Options canceled
    (900 )     10.78                          
                                                 
Outstanding at July 29, 2006
    203,050     $ 8.01       5,000     $ 4.17       276,900     $ 3.89  
                                                 
Options exercisable at July 29, 2006
    57,550     $ 4.81       5,000     $ 4.17       276,900     $ 3.89  
 
The following tabulation summarizes certain information concerning outstanding and exercisable options at July 29, 2006:
 
                                         
    Options Outstanding              
          Weighted
                   
          Average
          Options Exercisable  
          Remaining
    Weighted
          Weighted
 
Range of
  As of
    Contractual
    Average
    As of
    Average
 
Exercise
  July 29,
    Life In
    Exercise
    July 29,
    Exercise
 
Prices
 
2006
   
Years
   
Price
   
2006
   
Price
 
 
$2.60
    49,000       6.90     $ 2.60       49,000     $ 2.60  
$4.17
    232,900       5.68     $ 4.17       232,900     $ 4.17  
$4.48-$5.50
    140,550       6.88     $ 4.90       57,550     $ 4.81  
$15.00
    62,500       9.23     $ 15.00           $ 0.00  
                                         
$2.60-$15.00
    484,950       6.61     $ 5.62       339,450     $ 4.05  
                                         
 
6.   Segment Data
 
The Company’s product segments are as follows:
 
  •  Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“UAS”) — The UAS segment consists primarily of the design and manufacture of small unmanned aircraft systems solutions.
 
  •  PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems (“PosiCharge”) — The PosiCharge segment supplies fast charge systems for electric industrial vehicle batteries.
 
  •  Energy Technology Center — The Energy Technology Center segment consists of energy development projects and power processing test equipment product sales.
 
Because the products they design and sell generally define operating segments, they do not make sales to each other. Depreciation and amortization related to the manufacturing of goods is included in gross profit for the segments. The Company does not discretely allocate assets to its operating segments, nor does the CODM evaluate operating segments using discrete asset information. Consequently, the Company operates its financial systems as a single segment for accounting and control purposes, maintains a single indirect rate structure across all segments, has no inter-


F-32


Table of Contents

 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Unaudited Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)

segment sales or corporate elimination transactions, and maintains only limited financial statement information by segment.
 
The segment results are as follows (in thousands):
 
                 
    For the Three Months Ended  
    July 30,
    July 29,
 
   
2005
   
2006
 
 
Revenue
               
UAS
  $ 24,303     $ 24,983  
PosiCharge
    4,559       4,943  
Energy Technology Center
    1,890       1,631  
                 
Total
    30,752       31,557  
Gross margin
               
UAS
    8,633       9,271  
PosiCharge
    1,637       1,940  
Energy Technology Center
    966       775  
                 
Total
    11,236       11,986  
                 
Research and development
    3,509       3,841  
Selling, general and administrative
    5,822       6,132  
                 
Income from operations
    1,905       2,013  
Interest income
    37       206  
Interest expense
    (30 )      
                 
Income before income taxes
  $ 1,912     $ 2,219  
                 
 
Geographic Information
 
Sales to non-U.S. customers accounted for 0.4% and 16.7% of revenue for the three months ended July 30, 2005 and July 29, 2006, respectively.


F-33


Table of Contents

 
 
           Shares
 
AeroVironment, Inc.
 
Common Stock
 
(AEROVIRONMENT LOGO)
 
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
 
Friedman Billings Ramsey
 
Jefferies Quarterdeck
 
Raymond James
 
Stifel Nicolaus
 
Thomas Weisel Partners LLC
 
 
Through and including          , 2006 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.
 


Table of Contents

PART II
 
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
Item 13.   Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution
 
The following table sets forth the fees and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable in connection with the registration of the common stock hereunder. All amounts are estimates except the SEC registration fee, the NASD filing fee and the Nasdaq Global Market listing fee.
 
         
    Amount to be
 
Item
  paid  
 
SEC Registration Fee
  $ 12,305  
NASD Filing Fee
    12,000  
Nasdaq Global Market Listing Fee
    100,000  
Legal Fees and Expenses
    *  
Accounting Fees and Expenses
    *  
Printing and Engraving Expenses
    *  
Blue Sky Fees and Expenses
    *  
Transfer Agent and Registrar Fees
    *  
Miscellaneous Expenses
    *  
         
Total
  $ *  
         
 
* To be completed by amendment.
 
Item 14.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers
 
We plan to reincorporate in Delaware prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement. Section 102 of the Delaware General Corporation Law allows a corporation to eliminate the personal liability of directors of a corporation to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except where the director breached the duty of loyalty, failed to act in good faith, engaged in intentional misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a dividend or approved a stock repurchase in violation of Delaware corporate law or obtained an improper personal benefit.
 
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides, among other things, that we may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding — other than an action by or in the right of the corporation — by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, agent, or employee of the corporation, or is or was serving at our request as a director, officer, agent or employee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding. The power to indemnify applies (a) if such person is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding or (b) if such person acting in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interest, or not opposed to the best interest, of the corporation, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. The power to indemnify applies to actions brought by or in the right of the corporation as well but only to the extent of defense expenses, including attorneys’ fees but excluding amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred and not to any satisfaction of judgment or settlement of the claim itself, and with the further limitation that in such actions no indemnification shall be made in the event of any adjudication of liability to the corporation, unless the court believes that in light of all the circumstances indemnification should apply.


II-1


Table of Contents

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, to be attached as Exhibit 3.2 hereto, and our amended and restated bylaws, to be attached as Exhibit 3.4 hereto, which will be effective upon completion of the offering of our common stock pursuant to this registration statement, will provide that we will indemnify each of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporate Law. In addition, in connection with this offering, we intend to enter into indemnification agreements with each of our executive officers and directors. The indemnification provisions contained in these agreements may be broader than those contained in the Delaware General Corporation Law. In addition, we intend to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer against any loss arising from any claim asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in that capacity, subject to certain exclusions and limits of the amount of coverage.
 
The underwriting agreement, to be attached as Exhibit 1.1 hereto, provides for indemnification by the underwriters of us, our executive officers and directors, and indemnification of the underwriters by us for certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with matters specifically provided in writing by the underwriters for inclusion in the registration statement.
 
Item 15.   Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
 
During the last three years, we have issued securities in the following transactions, each of which was exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. No underwriters were involved in any of the below-referenced sales of securities.
 
1. From May 2003 through October 2006, we granted stock options to purchase 148,500 shares of our common stock at exercise prices ranging from $4.48 to $82.98 per share to our employees and directors under our employee benefit plans. During this period, 17,400 options were surrendered resulting in a net of 131,000 options granted. During that time, options to purchase 389,790 shares of our common stock were exercised, for an aggregate consideration of approximately $1,428,032.
 
The sales and issuances of securities in the transactions described above were deemed to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in reliance upon Rule 701 promulgated under Section 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as transactions pursuant to compensatory benefit plans and contracts relating to compensation as provided under Rule 701. The recipients of securities in each transaction represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof and appropriate legends were affixed to the securities issued in these transactions. All recipients had adequate access, through employment or other relationships, to information about us.
 
There were no underwriters employed in connection with any of the transactions set forth in this Item 15.
 
Item 16.   Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
 
Exhibits
 
The attached Exhibit Index is incorporated herein by reference.
 
Financial Statement Schedules
 
Schedule II: Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
 
Schedules not listed above have been omitted because the information required to be set forth therein is not applicable or is shown in the financial statements or notes thereto.


II-2


Table of Contents

Item 17.   Undertakings
 
We hereby undertake to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
 
Insofar as indemnification by the Registrant for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be permitted to our directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant, we have been advised that in the opinion of the SEC, this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against these liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by any of our directors, officers or controlling persons in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by a director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, we will, unless in the opinion of our counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether this indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be governed by the final adjudication of this issue.
 
We hereby undertake that:
 
(a) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the information omitted from a form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in the form of prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
 
(b) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.


II-3


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, AeroVironment, Inc. has duly caused this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Monrovia, California on the 2nd day of November, 2006.
 
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
 
  By: 
/s/  Timothy E. Conver
Timothy E. Conver
Chief Executive Officer
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
             
Signature
 
Title
 
Date
 
/s/  Timothy E. Conver

Timothy E. Conver
  Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)   November 2, 2006
         
*

Stephen C. Wright
  Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)   November 2, 2006
         
*

Paul B. MacCready
  Chairman of the Board of Directors   November 2, 2006
         
*

Joseph F. Alibrandi
  Director   November 2, 2006
         
*

Kenneth R. Baker
  Director   November 2, 2006
         
*

Arnold L. Fishman
  Director   November 2, 2006
         
*

Murray Gell-Mann
  Director   November 2, 2006
         
*

Charles R. Holland
  Director   November 2, 2006
         
By: 
/s/  Timothy E. Conver

Timothy E. Conver
Attorney-in-Fact
       


II-4


Table of Contents

EXHIBIT INDEX
 
         
Exhibit
   
Number
 
Description
 
  1 .1**   Form of Underwriting Agreement
  3 .1*   Restated Articles of Incorporation of AeroVironment, Inc., as currently in effect
  3 .2   Form of Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of AeroVironment, Inc., to be in effect upon completion of the offering
  3 .3*   Amended Bylaws of AeroVironment, Inc., as currently in effect
  3 .4   Form of Amended and Restated Bylaws of AeroVironment, Inc., to be in effect upon completion of the offering
  4 .1**   Form of AeroVironment, Inc.’s Common Stock Certificate
  4 .2*   Voting Agreement, dated July 29, 2004, among AeroVironment, Inc., P. and J. MacCready Living Trust (Restated), Parker MacCready, Tyler MacCready, Marshall MacCready, the Whiting Family Limited Partnership and Timothy E. Conver
  4 .3*   Irrevocable Proxy, dated October 30, 2000, between W. Ray Morgan and AeroVironment, Inc.
  4 .4*   Proxy for Common Stock of AeroVironment, Inc., dated January 8, 1993, between Marshall MacCready and Paul B. MacCready
  4 .5*   Proxy for Common Stock of AeroVironment, Inc., dated January 14, 1993, between Tyler MacCready and Paul B. MacCready
  4 .6*   Proxy for Common Stock of AeroVironment, Inc., dated January 14, 1993, between Parker MacCready and Paul B. MacCready
  5 .1**   Opinion of Latham & Watkins LLP
  10 .1#   Form of Director and Executive Officer Indemnification Agreement
  10 .2*#   AeroVironment, Inc. Nonqualified Stock Option Plan
  10 .3*#   Form of Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement pursuant to the AeroVironment, Inc. Nonqualified Stock Option Plan
  10 .4*#   AeroVironment, Inc. Directors’ Nonqualified Stock Option Plan
  10 .5*#   Form of Directors’ Nonqualified Stock Option Agreement pursuant to the AeroVironment, Inc. Directors’ Nonqualified Stock Option Plan
  10 .6*#   AeroVironment, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan
  10 .7*#   Form of AeroVironment, Inc. 2002 Equity Incentive Plan Stock Option Agreement
  10 .8**#   Director Equity Compensation Policy
  10 .9#   AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan
  10 .10**#   Form of Stock Option Agreement pursuant to the AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan
  10 .11*#   AeroVironment, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, dated May 19, 2005
  10 .12*   Sublease Agreement, dated February 17, 2005, among AeroVironment, Inc., L-3 Communications Corporation and Thermotrex Corporation, for the property located at 900 Enchanted Way, Simi Valley, California 93065
  10 .13*   Standard Industrial/Commercial Single-Tenant Lease, dated August 8, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and FKT Associates, for the property located at 1960 Walker Ave., Monrovia, California 91016
  10 .14*   Business Loan Agreement, dated June 16, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and California Bank & Trust
  10 .15*†   AV Direct Project Request, dated July 7, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Marine Corps System Command
  10 .16*†   Award Contract, dated December 22, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Marine Corps System Command
  10 .17*†   Award Contract, dated August 15, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command
  10 .18*†   Award Contract, dated September 21, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Natick Contracting Division


Table of Contents

         
Exhibit
   
Number
 
Description
 
  10 .19*†   Award Contract, dated January 2, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command
  10 .20*#   Standard Consulting Agreement, dated February 1, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Charles R. Holland
  10 .21*#   Standard Consulting Agreement, dated November 1, 2005, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Charles R. Holland
  10 .22*#   Promissory Note, dated June 30, 2004, between AeroVironment, Inc. and Timothy E. Conver
  10 .23*#   Retiree Medical Plan
  21 .1*   Subsidiaries of AeroVironment, Inc.
  23 .1   Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm
  23 .2**   Consent of Latham & Watkins LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  24 .1*   Power of Attorney
 
Previously filed.
 
** To be filed by amendment.
 
Confidential treatment has been requested for portions of this exhibit. These portions have been omitted from the Registration Statement and submitted separately to the SEC.
 
# Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.

exv3w2
 

Exhibit 3.2
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
     AeroVironment, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:
     1. The name of the Corporation is AeroVironment, Inc. A Certificate of Merger whereby AeroVironment, Inc., a California corporation, was merged with and into the corporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on [______ ___], 2006.
     2. That by action taken by the Board of Directors at a meeting held on [______ ___, 2006 resolutions were duly adopted setting forth a proposed amendment and restatement of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said amendment and restatement to be advisable and directing its officers to submit said amendment and restatement to the stockholders of the Corporation for consideration thereof. The resolution setting forth the proposed amendment and restatement is as follows:
     “THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation is hereby amended to read in its entirety as follows, subject to the required consent of the stockholders of the Corporation:
     FIRST: The name of the Corporation (hereinafter the “Corporation”) is AeroVironment, Inc.
     SECOND: The address, including street, number, city and county, of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle; and the name of the Registered Agent of the Corporation at such address is Corporation Service Company.
     THIRD: The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
     FOURTH: The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”) and Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”). The total number of shares the Corporation shall have the authority to issue is [                    ] ([                    ]) shares, [                    ] ([                    ]) shares of which shall be Common Stock and [                    ] ([                    ]) shares of which shall be Preferred Stock.
          (1) Common Stock. The voting, dividend and liquidation rights of the holders of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights of the holders of the Preferred Stock of any series as may be designated by the Board of Directors upon any issuance of the Preferred Stock or any series. The holders of the Common Stock are entitled to one vote for each share held at all meetings of stockholders. There shall be no cumulative voting. Dividends may be declared and paid on the Common Stock from funds lawfully available therefor as and when determined by the Board of Directors and subject to any preferential dividend rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock. Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, holders of the Corporation will be

1


 

entitled to receive ratably all assets of the Corporation available for distribution to stockholders, subject to any preferential rights of any then outstanding Preferred Stock.
          (2) Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of such series adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as hereinafter provided. Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors of the Corporation to issue, from time to time, shares of Preferred Stock in one or more series, and, in connection with the establishment of any such series by resolution or resolutions, to determine and fix such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such other powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, if any, including, without limitation, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, as shall be stated in such resolution or resolutions, all to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any series of Preferred Stock may, to the extent permitted by law, provide that such series shall be superior to, rank equally with or be junior to the Preferred Stock of any other series. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of each series of Preferred Stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, if any, may be different from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the resolution or resolutions providing for the establishment of any series of Preferred Stock, no vote of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock shall be a prerequisite to the issuance of any shares of any series of the Preferred Stock authorized by and complying with the conditions of this Certificate of Incorporation.
     FIFTH: (1) The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of a Board of Directors having that number of directors set out in the Bylaws of the Corporation as adopted or as set forth from time to time by a duly adopted amendment thereto by the Board of Directors or stockholders of the Corporation.
          (2) No director (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) may be removed from office by the stockholders except for cause and, in addition to any other vote required by law, upon the affirmative vote of not less than 66⅔% of the total voting power of all outstanding securities of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
          (3) The directors of the Corporation, other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock, shall be divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of directors (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) constituting the entire Board of Directors. Each director (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders next following the annual meeting at which such director was elected, provided that directors initially designated as Class I directors shall serve for a term ending on the date of the 2007 annual meeting, directors initially designated as Class II directors shall serve for a term ending on the date of the 2008 annual meeting and directors initially designated as Class III directors shall serve for a term ending on the date of the 2009 annual meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each director shall hold office until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. If the number of directors (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, but in no event will a decrease in the number of directors shorten the term of any incumbent director. Vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, removal or

2


 

otherwise and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors (other than directors elected by one or more series of Preferred Stock) may be filled solely by a vote of a majority of the directors then in office (although less than a quorum) or by a sole remaining director, and each director so elected shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of the class to which such director shall have been elected. Whenever the holders of one or more classes or series of Preferred Stock shall have the right, voting separately as a class or series, to elect directors, the nomination, election, term of office, filling of vacancies, removal and other features of such directorships shall not be governed by this Article FIFTH unless otherwise provided for in the certificate of designation for such classes or series.
     SIXTH: The Corporation is to have perpetual existence.
     SEVENTH: The following provisions are inserted for the management of the business and the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation and for the further definition of the powers of the Corporation and its directors and stockholders:
          (1) The Board of Directors is expressly authorized to make, adopt, amend, alter, rescind or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the stockholders may adopt, amend, alter, rescind or repeal the Bylaws with, in addition to any other vote required by law, the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than 66⅔% of the total voting power of all outstanding securities of the Corporation then entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.
          (2) Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws of the Corporation so provide.
          (3) Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders may be taken only upon the vote of stockholders at an annual or special meeting duly noticed and called in accordance with the DGCL and may not be taken by written consent of stockholders without a meeting.
          (4) Special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer or at the written request of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors and may not be called by any other person; provided, however, that if and to the extent that any special meeting of stockholders may be called by any other person or persons specified in any provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or any amendment thereto or any certificate filed under Section 151(g) of the DGCL, then such special meeting may also be called by the person or persons, in the manner, at the times and for the purposes so specified.
     EIGHTH: (1) Subject to Article EIGHTH (3), the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment,

3


 

order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
          (2) Subject to Article EIGHTH (3), the Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless any person who is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation; except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or such other court shall deem proper.
          (3) Any indemnification under this Article EIGHTH (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director or officer or other person entitled to indemnification under this Article EIGHTH is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Article EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2), as the case may be. Such determination shall be made, with respect to an officer or director, (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, even if constituting less than a quorum, (ii) by a committee of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding even if constituting less than a quorum, (iii) if there are no such directors, or if such directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (iv) by the stockholders. To the extent, however, that a present or former director or officer of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Article EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2), or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he or she shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith, without the necessity of authorization in the specific case.
          (4) Notwithstanding any contrary determination in the specific case under Article EIGHTH (3), and notwithstanding the absence of any determination thereunder, any present or former director or officer of the Corporation may apply to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware for indemnification to the extent otherwise permissible under Article EIGHTH (1) and Article EIGHTH (2). The basis of such indemnification by a court shall be a determination by such court that indemnification of such person is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standards of conduct set forth in Article EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2), as the case may be. Neither a contrary determination in the specific case under Article EIGHTH (3) nor the absence of any determination thereunder shall be a defense to such application or create a presumption that such person seeking indemnification has not met any applicable standard of conduct. Notice of any application for indemnification pursuant to this Article EIGHTH (4) shall be given to the Corporation promptly upon the filing of such application. If successful, in whole or in part, such person seeking indemnification in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall also be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such application.

4


 

          (5) Expenses incurred by a person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation in defending or investigating a threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article EIGHTH.
          (6) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this Article EIGHTH shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, contract, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or pursuant to the direction (howsoever embodied) of any court of competent jurisdiction or otherwise, both as to action in his or her official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, it being the policy of the Corporation that indemnification of the persons specified in Article EIGHTH (1) and Article EIGHTH (2) shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law. The provisions of this Article EIGHTH shall not be deemed to preclude the indemnification of any person who is not specified in Article EIGHTH (1) or Article EIGHTH (2) but whom the Corporation has the power or obligation to indemnify under the provisions of the DGCL or otherwise.
          (7) The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power or the obligation to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of this Article EIGHTH or Section 145 of the DGCL.
          (8) For purposes of this Article EIGHTH, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had the power and authority to indemnify its directors or officers, so that any person who is or was a director or officer of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article EIGHTH with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he or she would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued. For purposes of this Article EIGHTH, references to “fines” shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such person with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Article EIGHTH. For purposes of any determination under Article EIGHTH (3), a person shall be deemed to have acted in good faith in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, or, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, to have had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful, if his or her action is based on the records or books of account of the Corporation or another enterprise, or on information supplied to him or her by the officers of the Corporation or another enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Corporation or another enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Corporation or another enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Corporation or another enterprise. The term “another enterprise” as used in this

5


 

Article EIGHTH (8) shall mean any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which such person is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent. The provisions of this Article EIGHTH (8) shall not be deemed to be exclusive, or to limit in any way, the circumstances in which a person may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Article EIGHTH (1) or (2), as the case may be.
          (9) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article EIGHTH shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
          (10) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Article EIGHTH to the contrary, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification (which shall be governed by Article EIGHTH (4)), the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any person in connection with a proceeding (or part, thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
          (11) The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article EIGHTH to directors and officers of the Corporation.
     NINTH: A director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that this Article shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of his or her duty of loyalty to the Corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law, (iii) under Section 174 of the DGCL or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit.
     If the DGCL is hereafter amended to authorize corporate action further limiting or eliminating the personal liability of directors, then the liability of the director to the Corporation shall be limited or eliminated to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended from time to time. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation under this Article NINTH in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such amendment, repeal or modification.
     TENTH: Each reference in this Certificate of Incorporation to any provision of the DGCL refers to the specified provision of the DGCL, as the same now exists or as it may hereafter be amended or superseded.
     ELEVENTH: The Corporation reserves the right at any time and from time to time to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by the laws of the State of Delaware; and all rights conferred on stockholders, directors or any other persons herein are granted subject to this reservation; provided, however, that no amendment, alteration, change or repeal may be made to Article FIFTH, SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH or ELEVENTH without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation, voting together as a single class.”
     3. That said Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been consented to and authorized by the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding stock entitled to vote in accordance with the provisions of Section 228 of the DGCL.

6


 

     4. That said Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL.

7


 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, AeroVironment, Inc. has caused this Certificate to be signed by Timothy C. Conver, its Chief Executive Officer and Stephen Wright, its Chief Financial Officer, this [___]th day of [                    ] 2006.
         
  AeroVironment, Inc.,
a Delaware corporation
 
 
  By:      
    Name:   Timothy C. Cover   
         
ATTEST
 
   
     
Name:   Stephen C. Wright       
Title:   Chief Financial Officer       
 

8

exv3w4
 

Exhibit 3.4
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS
             
            PAGE
 
ARTICLE I. OFFICES   3
 
           
 
  Section 1.   REGISTERED OFFICES.   3
 
  Section 2.   OTHER OFFICES.   3
 
           
ARTICLE II. MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS   3
 
           
 
  Section 1.   PLACE OF MEETINGS.   3
 
  Section 2.   ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS.   3
 
  Section 3.   QUORUM; ADJOURNED MEETINGS AND NOTICE THEREOF.   3
 
  Section 4.   VOTING.   3
 
  Section 5.   PROXIES.   4
 
  Section 6.   SPECIAL MEETINGS.   4
 
  Section 7.   NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS.   4
 
  Section 8.   FIXING DATE FOR DETERMINATION OF STOCKHOLDERS    
 
      OF RECORD.   5
 
  Section 9.   NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER BUSINESS AND NOMINATIONS.   5
 
  Section 10.   MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF STOCKHOLDER LIST.   8
 
  Section 11.   STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT    
 
      A MEETING.   8
 
           
ARTICLE III. DIRECTORS   8
 
           
 
  Section 1.   THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS.   8
 
  Section 2.   VACANCIES.   8
 
  Section 3.   POWERS.   9
 
  Section 4.   PLACE OF DIRECTORS’ MEETINGS.   9
 
  Section 5.   REGULAR MEETINGS.   9
 
  Section 6.   SPECIAL MEETINGS.   9
 
  Section 7.   QUORUM.   9
 
  Section 8.   ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.   9
 
  Section 9.   TELEPHONIC MEETINGS.   9
 
  Section 10.   COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS.   10
 
  Section 11.   MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS.   10
 
  Section 12.   COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS.   10
 
           
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS   10
 
           
 
  Section 1.   OFFICERS.   10
 
  Section 2.   ELECTION OF OFFICERS.   10

i


 

             
            PAGE
 
 
  Section 3.   SUBORDINATE OFFICERS.   11
 
  Section 4.   COMPENSATION OF OFFICERS.   11
 
  Section 5.   TERM OF OFFICE; REMOVAL AND VACANCIES.   11
 
  Section 6.   POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS.   11
 
           
ARTICLE V. INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS   11
 
           
ARTICLE VI. CERTIFICATES OF STOCK   11
 
           
 
  Section 1.   CERTIFICATES.   11
 
  Section 2.   SIGNATURES ON CERTIFICATES.   11
 
  Section 3.   STATEMENT OF STOCK RIGHTS, PREFERENCES, PRIVILEGES.   12
 
  Section 4.   LOST CERTIFICATES.   12
 
  Section 5.   TRANSFERS OF STOCK.   12
 
  Section 6.   REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS.   12
 
           
ARTICLE VII. GENERAL PROVISIONS   12
 
           
 
  Section 1.   CHECKS.   12
 
  Section 2.   FISCAL YEAR.   12
 
  Section 3.   CORPORATE SEAL.   13
 
  Section 4.   MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE.   13
 
  Section 5.   WAIVER OF NOTICE.   13
 
           
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS   13

ii


 

AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
OF
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.
ARTICLE I.
OFFICES
     Section 1. REGISTERED OFFICES. The registered office shall be in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware.
     Section 2. OTHER OFFICES. The corporation may also have offices at such other places both within and without the State of Delaware as the Board of Directors (the “Board”) may from time to time determine or the business of the corporation may require.
ARTICLE II.
MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
     Section 1. PLACE OF MEETINGS. Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place within or outside the State of Delaware designated by the Board. In the absence of any such designation, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the principal executive office of the corporation.
     Section 2. ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS. The annual meeting of stockholders shall be held each year on a date and time designated by the Board. At each annual meeting directors shall be elected, and any other proper business may be transacted.
     Section 3. QUORUM; ADJOURNED MEETINGS AND NOTICE THEREOF. A majority of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders, the holders of which are present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws. A quorum, once established, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum, and the votes present may continue to transact business until adjournment. If, however, such quorum shall not be present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, a majority of the voting stock represented in person or by proxy may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. If the adjournment is for more than thirty days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote thereat.
     Section 4. VOTING. When a quorum is present at any meeting, in all matters other than the election of directors, the vote of the holders of a majority of the stock having voting power present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on a particular question shall decide such question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which by express provision of the statutes, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a different

3


 

vote is required in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors.
     Section 5. PROXIES. At each meeting of the stockholders, each stockholder having the right to vote may vote in person or may authorize another person or persons to act for him or her by proxy appointed by an instrument in writing subscribed by such stockholder and bearing a date not more than three years prior to said meeting, unless said instrument provides for a longer period. All proxies must be filed with the Secretary of the corporation at the beginning of each meeting in order to be counted in any vote at the meeting. Each stockholder shall have one vote for each share of stock having voting power, registered in his name on the books of the corporation on the record date set by the Board as provided in Article II, Section 8 hereof.
     Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the stockholders, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by statute or by the Certificate of Incorporation, may be called by the Chairman of the Board or the President and shall be called by the President or the Secretary at the request in writing of a majority of the members of the Board. Business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.
     Section 7. NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a written notice of the meeting shall be given, which notice shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called. The written notice of any meeting shall be given to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting. If mailed, notice is deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his address as it appears on the records of the corporation.

4


 

     Section 8. FIXING DATE FOR DETERMINATION OF STOCKHOLDERS OF RECORD. In order that the corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of, or to vote at, any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date: (a) in the case of determination of stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders or adjournment thereof, shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting; and (b) in the case of any other action, shall not be more than sixty days prior to such other action. If no record date is fixed: (i) the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held; and (ii) the record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
     Section 9. NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDER BUSINESS AND NOMINATIONS.
          (a) Nominations of persons for election to the Board of the corporation and the proposal of business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders (i) pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto), (ii) by or at the direction of the Board or (iii) by any stockholder of the corporation who was a stockholder of record at the time notice provided for in this Section 9 is given to the Secretary of the corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures in this Section 9.
          (b) For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (iii) of paragraph (a) of this Section 9, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the corporation, and any such proposed business other than the nominations of persons for election to the Board must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not later than the close of business on the ninetieth day nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty days before or more than sixty days after such anniversary date, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the earlier of (i) the day on which notice of the meeting was mailed or (ii) the date public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the corporation. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above. Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

5


 

(A) as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director, all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Rule 14a-101 thereunder (including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected); (B) as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made; and (C) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, (I) the name and address of such stockholder and of such beneficial owner, as they appear on the corporation’s books, (II) the class and number of shares of capital stock of the corporation which are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, (III) a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of stock of the corporation entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination and (IV) a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (y) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (z) otherwise to solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination. The foregoing notice requirements shall be deemed satisfied by a stockholder if the stockholder has notified the corporation of his or her intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 (or any successor thereof) promulgated under the Exchange Act and such stockholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the corporation to solicit proxies for such annual meeting. The corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably require to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as a director of the corporation.
          (c) Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the corporation’s notice of meeting (i) by or at the direction of the Board or (ii) provided that the Board has determined that directors shall be elected at such meeting, by any stockholder of the corporation who is a stockholder of record at the time the notice provided for in this Section 9 is delivered to the Secretary of the corporation, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who complies with the notice procedures set forth in this Section 9. In the event the corporation calls a special meeting of stockholders for the purpose of electing one or more directors to the Board, any such stockholder entitled to vote in such election of directors may nominate a person or persons (as the case may be) for election to such position(s) as specified in the corporation’s notice of meeting, if the stockholder’s notice required by paragraph (b) of this Section 9 shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the corporation not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of

6


 

(i) the ninetieth day prior to such special meeting or (ii) the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
          (d) (i) Only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 9 shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation to serve as directors, and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 9. Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty (A) to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 9 (including whether the stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies in support of such stockholder’s nominee or proposal in compliance with such stockholder’s representation as required by paragraph (b) of this Section 9) and (B) if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with this Section 9, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation to present a nomination or business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the corporation.
               (ii) For purposes of this Section 9, “public announcement” shall include disclosure in a press release reported by PRNewswire, Business Wire, the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service or in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
               (iii) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 9, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 9. Nothing in this Section 9 shall be deemed to affect any rights (A) of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or (B) of the holders of any series of preferred stock of the corporation to elect directors pursuant to any applicable provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation.

7


 

     Section 10. MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF STOCKHOLDER LIST. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting, during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten days prior to the meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held, which place shall be specified in the notice of the meeting, or, if not so specified, at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present.
     Section 11. STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING. Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the corporation, or any action which may be taken at any annual or special meeting of such stockholders, may not be taken without a meeting.
ARTICLE III.
DIRECTORS
     Section 1. THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS. The number of directors which shall constitute the whole Board shall be not less than seven nor more than eleven. The actual number of directors shall be fixed from time to time solely by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors. The directors need not be stockholders. The directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of the stockholders, except as provided in Section 2 of this Article, and each director elected shall hold office until his successor is elected and qualified; provided, however, that unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or by law, any director or the entire Board may be removed, for cause, from the Board at any meeting of stockholders by not less than 66 2/3% of the outstanding stock of the Corporation.
     Section 2. VACANCIES. Vacancies on the Board by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or otherwise, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors may be filled solely by a vote of a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, and each director so elected shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of the class to which such director shall have been elected. If there are no directors in office, then an election of directors may be held in the manner provided by statute. If, at the time of filling any vacancy or any newly created directorship, the directors then in office shall constitute less than a majority of the whole Board (as constituted immediately prior to any such increase), the Court of Chancery may, upon application of any stockholder or stockholders holding at least ten percent of the total number of the shares at the time outstanding having the right to vote for such directors, summarily order an election to be held to fill any such vacancies or newly created directorships, or to replace the directors chosen by the directors then in office.

8


 

     Section 3. POWERS. The property and business of the corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of its Board. In addition to the powers and authorities by these Bylaws expressly conferred upon them, the Board may exercise all such powers of the corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by statute, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.
     Section 4. PLACE OF DIRECTORS’ MEETINGS. The directors may hold their meetings, have one or more offices and keep the books of the corporation outside of the State of Delaware.
     Section 5. REGULAR MEETINGS. Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.
     Section 6. SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Board may be called by the Chairman of the Board or the President on forty-eight hours’ notice to each director, either personally, by mail, electronic mail or by telegram; special meetings shall be called by the President or the Secretary in like manner and on like notice on the written request of two directors, unless the Board consists of only one director, in which case special meetings shall be called by the President or Secretary in like manner or on like notice on the written request of the sole director.
     Section 7. QUORUM. At all meetings of the Board a majority of the authorized number of directors shall be necessary and sufficient to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by these Bylaws. If a quorum shall not be present at any meeting of the Board, the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum shall be present. If only one director is authorized, such sole director shall constitute a quorum.
     Section 8. ACTION WITHOUT MEETING. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting, if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, and the writing or writings are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee.
     Section 9. TELEPHONIC MEETINGS. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

9


 

     Section 10. COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS. The Board may, by resolution passed by a majority of the whole Board, designate one or more committees, each such committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the corporation. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not he, she or they constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the corporation and may authorize the seal of the corporation to be affixed to all papers which may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation, adopting an agreement of merger or consolidation, recommending to the stockholders the sale, lease or exchange of all or substantially all of the corporation’s property and assets, recommending to the stockholders a dissolution of the corporation or a revocation of a dissolution, or amending the Bylaws of the corporation; and, unless the resolution or the Certificate of Incorporation expressly so provide, no such committee shall have the power or authority to declare a dividend or to authorize the issuance of stock.
     Section 11. MINUTES OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS. Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.
     Section 12. COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors. The directors may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at each meeting of the Board and may be paid a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Board or a stated salary as director. No such payment shall preclude any director from serving the corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor. Members of special or standing committees may be allowed like compensation for attending committee meetings.
ARTICLE IV.
OFFICERS
     Section 1. OFFICERS. The officers of this corporation shall be chosen by the Board and shall include a President, a Secretary and a Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer. The corporation may also have at the discretion of the Board such other officers as are desired, including one or more Vice Presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers and such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 hereof. In the event there are two or more Vice Presidents, then one or more may be designated as Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or other similar or dissimilar title. At the time of the election of officers, the directors may by resolution determine the order of their rank. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, unless the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws otherwise provide.
     Section 2. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The Board, at its first meeting after each annual meeting of stockholders, shall choose the officers of the corporation.

10


 

     Section 3. SUBORDINATE OFFICERS. The Board may appoint such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board.
     Section 4. COMPENSATION OF OFFICERS. The salaries of all officers and agents of the corporation shall be fixed by the Board.
     Section 5. TERM OF OFFICE; REMOVAL AND VACANCIES. The officers of the corporation shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualify in their stead. Any officer elected or appointed by the Board may be removed at any time by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Board. If the office of any officer or officers becomes vacant for any reason, the vacancy shall be filled by the Board.
     Section 6. POWERS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS. The officers of the corporation shall have such powers and duties in the management of the corporation as may be prescribed in a resolution by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.
ARTICLE V.
INDEMNIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS
     The corporation may indemnify every person who is or was a party or is or was threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or she is or was an employee or agent of the corporation or, while an employee or agent of the corporation, is or was serving at the request of the corporation as an employee or agent or trustee of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, against expenses (including counsel fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
ARTICLE VI.
CERTIFICATES OF STOCK
     Section 1. CERTIFICATES. Every holder of stock of the corporation shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the corporation by, the President or a Vice President and by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of the corporation, certifying the number of shares represented by the certificate owned by such stockholder in the corporation.
     Section 2. SIGNATURES ON CERTIFICATES. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate shall have ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.

11


 

     Section 3. STATEMENT OF STOCK RIGHTS, PREFERENCES, PRIVILEGES. If the corporation shall be authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualification, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate which the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, provided that, except as otherwise provided in section 202 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate which the corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock, a statement that the corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.
     Section 4. LOST CERTIFICATES. The Board may direct a new certificate or certificates to be issued in place of any certificate or certificates theretofore issued by the corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming the certificate of stock to be lost, stolen or destroyed. When authorizing such issue of a new certificate or certificates, the Board may, in its discretion and as a condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate or certificates, or his legal representative, to advertise the same in such manner as it shall require and/or to give the corporation a bond in such sum as it may direct as indemnity against any claim that may be made against the corporation with respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.
     Section 5. TRANSFERS OF STOCK. Upon surrender to the corporation, or the transfer agent of the corporation, of a certificate for shares duly endorsed or accompanied by proper evidence of succession, assignation or authority to transfer, it shall be the duty of the corporation to issue a new certificate to the person entitled thereto, cancel the old certificate and record the transaction upon its books.
     Section 6. REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS. The corporation shall be entitled to treat the holder of record of any share or shares of stock as the holder in fact thereof and accordingly shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim or interest in such share on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as expressly provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.
ARTICLE VII.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
     Section 1. CHECKS. All checks or demands for money and notes of the corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers as the Board may from time to time designate.
     Section 2. FISCAL YEAR. The fiscal year of the corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board.

12


 

     Section 3. CORPORATE SEAL. The corporate seal shall have inscribed thereon the name of the corporation and shall be in such form as may be approved from time to time by the Board.
     Section 4. MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE. Whenever, under the law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, notice is required to be given to any director or stockholder, it shall not be construed to mean personal notice, but such notice may be given in writing, by mail, addressed to such director or stockholder, at his address as it appears on the records of the corporation, with postage thereon prepaid, and such notice shall be deemed to be given at the time when the same shall be deposited in the United States mail. Notice to directors may also be given by telegram, telecopier or other means of communication permitted by law.
     Section 5. WAIVER OF NOTICE. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof via electronic mail or in writing, signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent thereto. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting, at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the stockholders, directors or members of a committee of directors need be specified in any written waiver of notice.
ARTICLE VIII.
AMENDMENTS
     These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed or new Bylaws may be adopted by the stockholders or by the Board in accordance with the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation. If the power to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws is conferred upon the Board by the Certificate of Incorporation, it shall not divest or limit the power of the stockholders to adopt, amend or repeal Bylaws.
* * * * *

13

exv10w1
 

Exhibit 10.1
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
     This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of                     , 2006 by and between AeroVironment, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and                      (“Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
     WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve corporations as directors or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance and adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation;
     WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among United States-based corporations and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to corporations or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”). The certificate of incorporation, bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers and other persons with respect to indemnification;
     WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
     WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
     WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified;
     WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
     WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances and may not be willing to serve as a director, officer or key employee without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, to continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.

 


 

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
     1. Services to the Company. Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director or key employee of the Company for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation.
     2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
          (a) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another entity.
          (b) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
          (i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing twenty percent (20%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities;
          (ii) Change in Board of Directors. During any period of two (2) consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals, who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 2(b)(i), 2(b)(iii) or 2(b)(iv)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
          (iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50.1% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity;
          (iv) Liquidation. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; or
          (v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.

2


 

          (c) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
          (d) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
          (e) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
          (f) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
          (g) “Expenses” shall include all reasonable attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other disbursements or expenses of the type customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also shall include expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
          (h) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
          (i) “Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.
          (j) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, formal or informal, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature,

3


 

in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, witness or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, by reason of any action taken (or failure to act) by him or her or of any action (or failure to act) on his or her part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
          (k) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
     3. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
     4. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court of Chancery shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.
     5. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection with each

4


 

successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
     6. Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her or on his or her behalf in connection therewith.
     7. Additional Indemnification.
          (a) Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4 or 5, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnity shall be made under this Section 7(a) on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
          (b) For purposes of Section 7(a), the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by law” shall include, but not be limited to:
          (i) the fullest extent permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL; and
          (ii) the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
     8. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
          (a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision;
          (b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
          (c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 13(d)-(f) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or

5


 

its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
     9. Advances of Expenses; Defense of Claim.
          (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall advance the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to indemnification under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing an action to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. Indemnitee shall qualify for advances solely upon the execution and delivery to the Company of an undertaking providing that Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. This Section 9(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which indemnity is excluded pursuant to Section 8.
          (b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
          (c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
     10. Procedure for Notification and Application for Indemnification.
          (a) Within sixty (60) days after the actual receipt by Indemnitee of notice that he or she is a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written notice identifying the Proceeding. The omission by Indemnitee to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to Indemnitee (i) otherwise than under this Agreement and (ii) under this Agreement unless and only to the extent that the Company can establish that such omission to notify resulted in actual prejudice to the Company.
          (b) Indemnitee shall thereafter deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined in accordance with Section 11(a) of this Agreement.
     11. Procedure Upon Application for Indemnification.
          (a) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(b), a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even if constituting less than a quorum of the Board; or (ii) if so requested by Indemnitee, in his or her sole discretion, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with

6


 

the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
          (b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 11(b). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and the basis for the Board determination that such counsel qualified as Independent Counsel. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board of Directors, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction (the “Court”) for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Court or by such other person as the Court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 11(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
          (c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
     12. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
          (a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 10(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including

7


 

by the Board or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Board or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
          (b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 11 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty (60) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60-day period shall be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty (30) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
          (c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
          (d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise. The provisions of this Section 12(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
          (e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, officer, agent, advisor or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
     13. Remedies of Indemnitee.
          (a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 9 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement within the time period specified in Section 12(b) of this Agreement, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 11(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor or (v) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or Section 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that

8


 

Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
          (b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial or arbitration on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13, the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 13, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 9 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
          (c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
          (d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 13, seeks a judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company against, any and all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in such judicial adjudication or arbitration. If it shall be determined in said judicial adjudication or arbitration that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification or advancement of Expenses sought, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company against, any and all Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration.
          (e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 13 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
          (f) The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) advance such Expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or advances of Expenses by the Company under this Agreement or any other agreement or provision of the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws now or hereafter in effect or (ii) recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advance or insurance recovery, as the case may be.

9


 

     14. Non-exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
          (a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Company’s certificate of incorporation, the Company’s bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders, a resolution of directors or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. The parties hereto intend that, to the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Company’s bylaws and this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law, in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
          (b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, trustees, partners, managing members, fiduciaries, employees or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, officer, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
          (c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
          (d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
          (e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise.
     15. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and terminate upon the later of: (a) ten (10) years after the date that Indemnitee shall have ceased to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee served at the request of the Company; or (b) one (1) year after the final

10


 

termination of any Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto) then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13 of this Agreement relating thereto (including any rights of appeal of any Section 13 Proceeding).
     16. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
     17. Enforcement and Binding Effect.
          (a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer or key employee of the Company.
          (b) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
          (c) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall apply to Indemnitee’s service as an officer, director or key employee of the Company prior to the date of this Agreement.
          (d) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person.
     18. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
     19. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise, except as provided in Section 10(a).

11


 

     20. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) if delivered by hand and if receipt is acknowledged in writing by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (b) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
          (a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
          (b) If to the Company to:
AeroVironment, Inc.
181 W. Huntington Drive, Suite 202
Monrovia, California 91016
Attn.: Chief Executive Officer
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
     21. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, fines, penalties, excise taxes, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect: (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the event(s) and/or transaction(s) giving rise to such Proceeding; and/or (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers, employees and agents) and Indemnitee in connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s).
     22. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 13(a) of this Agreement, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Chancery Court of the State of Delaware (the “Delaware Court”) and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not a resident of the State of Delaware, irrevocably Corporation Service Company, 2711 Centerville Road, Suite 400, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, as its agent in the State of Delaware as such party’s agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court and (v) waive and agree not to plead or to make any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
     23. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

12


 

     24. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate. The headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

13


 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
               
AEROVIRONMENT, INC.,
a Delaware corporation
      INDEMNITEE
 
           
By:
           
 
           
Name:
          [NAME]
 
           
Title:
           
 
           
           
 
  Address:    
 
       
 
       
     
 
       
     

14

exv10w9
 

Exhibit 10.9
AEROVIRONMENT, INC
2006 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE 1
PURPOSE
     The purpose of the AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the success and enhance the value of AeroVironment, Inc. (the “Company”) by linking the personal interests of the members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants to those of Company stockholders and by providing such individuals with an incentive for outstanding performance to generate superior returns to Company stockholders. The Plan is further intended to provide flexibility to the Company in its ability to motivate, attract, and retain the services of members of the Board, Employees, and Consultants upon whose judgment, interest, and special effort the successful conduct of the Company’s operation is largely dependent.
ARTICLE 2
DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTION
     Wherever the following terms are used in the Plan they shall have the meanings specified below, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The singular pronoun shall include the plural where the context so indicates.
     2.1 “Award” means an Option, a Restricted Stock award, a Stock Appreciation Right award, a Performance Share award, a Performance Stock Unit award, a Dividend Equivalents award, a Stock Payment award, a Deferred Stock award, a Restricted Stock Unit award, an Other Stock-Based Award, a Performance Bonus Award, or a Performance-Based Award granted to a Participant pursuant to the Plan.
     2.2 “Award Agreement” means any written agreement, contract, or other instrument or document evidencing an Award.
     2.3 “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
     2.4 “Change in Control” means and includes each of the following:
          (a) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an offering of Stock to the general public through a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission) whereby any “person” or related “group” of “persons” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than the Company, any of its subsidiaries, an employee benefit plan maintained by the Company or any of its subsidiaries or a “person” that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Company) directly or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company possessing more than 50% of the total combined voting power of the Company’s securities outstanding immediately after such acquisition; or

 


 

          (b) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with any new director(s) (other than a director designated by a person who shall have entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Section 2.4(a) or Section 2.4(c)) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
          (c) The consummation by the Company (whether directly involving the Company or indirectly involving the Company through one or more intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets in any single transaction or series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:
               (i) Which results in the Company’s voting securities outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the Company or the person that, as a result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly, the Company or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or otherwise succeeds to the business of the Company (the Company or such person, the “Successor Entity”)) directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity’s outstanding voting securities immediately after the transaction, and
               (ii) After which no person or group beneficially owns voting securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Successor Entity; provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated for purposes of this Section 2.4(c)(ii) as beneficially owning 50% or more of combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as a result of the voting power held in the Company prior to the consummation of the transaction; or
          (d) The Company’s stockholders approve a liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
The Committee shall have full and final authority, which shall be exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a Change in Control of the Company has occurred pursuant to the above definition, and the date of the occurrence of such Change in Control and any incidental matters relating thereto.
     2.5 “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
     2.6 “Committee” means the committee of the Board described in Article 12.
     2.7 “Consultant” means any consultant or adviser if:
          (a) The consultant or adviser renders bona fide services to the Company;

2


 

          (b) The services rendered by the consultant or adviser are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities; and
          (c) The consultant or adviser is a natural person who has contracted directly with the Company to render such services.
     2.8 “Covered Employee” means an Employee who is, or could be, a “covered employee” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code.
     2.9 “Deferred Stock” means a right to receive a specified number of shares of Stock during specified time periods pursuant to Article 8.
     2.10 “Disability” means that the Participant qualifies to receive long-term disability payments under the Company’s long-term disability insurance program, as it may be amended from time to time.
     2.11 “Dividend Equivalents” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8 to receive the equivalent value (in cash or Stock) of dividends paid on Stock.
     2.12 “Effective Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 13.1.
     2.13 “Eligible Individual” means any person who is an Employee, a Consultant or a member of the Board, as determined by the Committee.
     2.14 “Employee” means any officer or other employee (as defined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code) of the Company or any Subsidiary.
     2.15 “Equity Restructuring” means a non-reciprocal transaction between the Company and its stockholders, such as a stock dividend, stock split, spin-off, rights offering or recapitalization including any large non-recurring cash dividend, that affects the Stock (or other securities of the Company) or the share price and causes a change in the per share value of the Stock underlying outstanding Awards as determined by the Committee.
     2.16 “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
     2.17 “Fair Market Value” means, as of any given date, the fair market value of a share of Stock on the immediately preceding date determined by such methods or procedures as may be established from time to time by the Committee. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock as of any date shall be the average of the closing sale price (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) for a share of Stock as listed on the Nasdaq Global Market (or on any national securities exchange or national marketed system on which the Stock is then listed) for the immediately preceding date.
     2.18 “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision thereto.

3


 

     2.19 “Independent Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee of the Company.
     2.20 “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who qualifies as a “Non-Employee Director” as defined in Rule 16b-3(b)(3) of the Exchange Act, or any successor definition adopted by the Board.
     2.21 “Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.
     2.22 “Option” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 5 of the Plan to purchase a specified number of shares of Stock at a specified price during specified time periods. An Option may be either an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option.
     2.23 “Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted or denominated in Stock or units of Stock pursuant to Section 8.7 of the Plan.
     2.24 “Participant” means any Eligible Individual who, as a member of the Board, Consultant or Employee, has been granted an Award pursuant to the Plan.
     2.25 “Performance-Based Award” means an Award granted to selected Covered Employees pursuant to Articles 6 and 8, but which is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in Article 9. All Performance-Based Awards are intended to qualify as Qualified Performance-Based Compensation.
     2.26 “Performance Bonus Award” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.8.
     2.27 “Performance Criteria” means the criteria that the Committee selects for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal or Performance Goals for a Participant for a Performance Period. The Performance Criteria that will be used to establish Performance Goals are limited to the following: net earnings (either before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), economic value-added (as determined by the Committee), sales or revenue, net income (either before or after taxes), operating earnings, cash flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), cash flow return on capital, return on net assets, return on stockholders’ equity, return on assets, return on capital, stockholder returns, return on sales, gross or net profit margin, productivity, expense, margins, operating efficiency, customer satisfaction, working capital, earnings per share, price per share of Stock, and market share, any of which may be measured either in absolute terms or as compared to any incremental increase or as compared to results of a peer group. The Committee shall, within the time prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code, define in an objective fashion the manner of calculating the Performance Criteria it selects to use for such Performance Period for such Participant.
     2.28 “Performance Goals” means, for a Performance Period, the goals established in writing by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria. Depending on the Performance Criteria used to establish such Performance Goals, the Performance Goals may be expressed in terms of overall Company performance or the performance of a division, business unit, or an individual. The Committee, in its discretion, may, within the time prescribed by Section 162(m) of the Code, adjust or modify the calculation of

4


 

Performance Goals for such Performance Period in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants (a) in the event of, or in anticipation of, any unusual or extraordinary corporate item, transaction, event, or development, or (b) in recognition of, or in anticipation of, any other unusual or nonrecurring events affecting the Company, or the financial statements of the Company, or in response to, or in anticipation of, changes in applicable laws, regulations, accounting principles, or business conditions.
     2.29 “Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time, which may be of varying and overlapping durations, as the Committee may select, over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals will be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to, and the payment of, a Performance-Based Award.
     2.30 “Performance Share” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8, to receive Stock, the payment of which is contingent upon achieving certain Performance Goals or other performance-based targets established by the Committee.
     2.31 “Performance Stock Unit” means a right granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8, to receive Stock, the payment of which is contingent upon achieving certain Performance Goals or other performance-based targets established by the Committee.
     2.32 “Plan” means this AeroVironment, Inc. 2006 Equity Incentive Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.
     2.33 “Public Trading Date” means the first date upon which Stock is listed (or approved for listing) upon notice of issuance on any securities exchange or designated (or approved for designation) upon notice of issuance as a national market security on an interdealer quotation system.
     2.34 “Qualified Performance-Based Compensation” means any compensation that is intended to qualify as “qualified performance-based compensation” as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code.
     2.35 “Restricted Stock” means Stock awarded to a Participant pursuant to Article 6 that is subject to certain restrictions and may be subject to risk of forfeiture.
     2.36 “Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award granted pursuant to Section 8.6.
     2.37 “Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
     2.38 “Stock” means the common stock of the Company, $0.0001 par value, and such other securities of the Company that may be substituted for Stock pursuant to Article 11.
     2.39 “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted pursuant to Article 7 to receive a payment equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Stock on the date the SAR is exercised over the Fair Market Value on the date the SAR was granted as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

5


 

     2.40 “Stock Payment” means (a) a payment in the form of shares of Stock, or (b) an option or other right to purchase shares of Stock, as part of any bonus, deferred compensation or other arrangement, made in lieu of all or any portion of the compensation, granted pursuant to Article 8.
     2.41 “Subsidiary” means any “subsidiary corporation” as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code and any applicable regulations promulgated thereunder or any other entity of which a majority of the outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company.
ARTICLE 3
SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN
     3.1 Number of Shares.
          (a) Subject to Article 11 and Section 3.1(b), the aggregate number of shares of Stock which may be issued or transferred pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be [                    ] shares. To the extent that an Award terminates, expires, or lapses for any reason, any shares of Stock subject to the Award shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan. Additionally, any shares of Stock tendered or withheld to satisfy the grant or exercise price or tax withholding obligation pursuant to any Award shall again be available for the grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan. To the extent permitted by applicable law or any exchange rule, shares of Stock issued in assumption of, or in substitution for, any outstanding awards of any entity acquired in any form of combination by the Company or any Subsidiary shall not be counted against shares of Stock available for grant pursuant to this Plan. The payment of Dividend Equivalents in conjunction with any outstanding Awards shall not be counted against the shares available for issuance under the Plan.
     3.2 Stock Distributed. Any Stock distributed pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Stock, treasury Stock or Stock purchased on the open market.
     3.3 Limitation on Number of Shares and Values Subject to Awards. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, and subject to Article 11, the maximum number of shares of Stock with respect to one or more Awards that may be granted to any one Participant during any twelve month period (measured from the date of any grant) shall be [                    ] and the maximum amount that may be paid in cash as a Performance Award that is intended to be a Performance Based Award shall not exceed $___; provided, however, that the foregoing limitations shall not apply following the Public Trading Date until the earliest of: (a) the first material modification of the Plan (including any increase in the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan in accordance with Section 3.1); (b) the issuance of all of the shares of Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan; (c) the expiration of the Plan; (d) the first meeting of stockholders at which members of the Board are to be elected that occurs after the close of the third calendar year following the calendar year in which the Public Trading Date occurs; or (e) such other date required by Section 162(m) of the Code and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

6


 

ARTICLE 4
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
     4.1 Eligibility. Each Eligible Individual shall be eligible to be granted one or more Awards pursuant to the Plan.
     4.2 Participation. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select from among all Eligible Individuals, those to whom Awards shall be granted and shall determine the nature and amount of each Award. No Eligible Individual shall have any right to be granted an Award pursuant to this Plan.
     4.3 Foreign Participants. In order to assure the viability of Awards granted to Participants employed in foreign countries, the Committee may provide for such special terms as it may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy, or custom. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements to, or amendments, restatements, or alternative versions of, the Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes without thereby affecting the terms of the Plan as in effect for any other purpose; provided, however, that no such supplements, amendments, restatements, or alternative versions shall increase the share limitations contained in Sections 3.1 and 3.3 of the Plan.
ARTICLE 5
STOCK OPTIONS
     5.1 General. The Committee is authorized to grant Options to Participants on the following terms and conditions:
          (a) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Stock subject to an Option shall be determined by the Committee and set forth in the Award Agreement.
          (b) Time and Conditions of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the time or times at which an Option may be exercised in whole or in part. The Committee shall also determine the performance or other conditions, if any, that must be satisfied before all or part of an Option may be exercised.
          (c) Payment. The Committee shall determine the methods by which the exercise price of an Option may be paid, the form of payment, including, without limitation: (i) cash, (ii) shares of Stock held for such period of time as may be required by the Committee in order to avoid adverse accounting consequences and having a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Option or exercised portion thereof, or (iii) other property acceptable to the Committee (including through the delivery of a notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to shares of Stock then issuable upon exercise of the Option, and that the broker has been directed to pay a sufficient portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Company in satisfaction of the Option exercise price; provided that payment of such proceeds is then made to the Company upon settlement of such sale), and the methods by which shares of Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Participants. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, no

7


 

Participant who is a member of the Board or an “executive officer” of the Company within the meaning of Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act shall be permitted to pay the exercise price of an Option in any method which would violate Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act.
          (d) Evidence of Grant. All Options shall be evidenced by a written Award Agreement between the Company and the Participant. The Award Agreement shall include such additional provisions as may be specified by the Committee.
     5.2 Incentive Stock Options. The terms of any Incentive Stock Options granted pursuant to the Plan must comply with the conditions and limitations contained Section 13.2 and this Section 5.2.
          (a) Eligibility. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to employees of the Company or any “subsidiary corporation” thereof (within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code and the applicable regulations promulgated thereunder).
          (b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of Stock shall be set by the Committee; provided that subject to Section 5.2(e) the exercise price for any Incentive Stock Option shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant.
          (c) Expiration. Subject to Section 5.2(e), an Incentive Stock Option may not be exercised to any extent by anyone after the tenth anniversary of the date it is granted, unless an earlier time is set in the Award Agreement.
          (d) Individual Dollar Limitation. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the time the Option is granted) of all shares of Stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are first exercisable by a Participant in any calendar year may not exceed $100,000 or such other limitation as imposed by Section 422(d) of the Code, or any successor provision. To the extent that Incentive Stock Options are first exercisable by a Participant in excess of such limitation, the excess shall be considered Non-Qualified Stock Options.
          (e) Ten Percent Owners. An Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any individual who, at the date of grant, owns stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of Stock of the Company only if such Option is granted at a price that is not less than 110% of Fair Market Value on the date of grant and the Option is exercisable for no more than five years from the date of grant.
          (f) Notice of Disposition. The Participant shall give the Company prompt notice of any disposition of shares of Stock acquired by exercise of an Incentive Stock Option within (i) two years from the date of grant of such Incentive Stock Option or (ii) one year after the transfer of such shares of Stock to the Participant.
          (g) Right to Exercise. During a Participant’s lifetime, an Incentive Stock Option may be exercised only by the Participant.

8


 

     5.3 Substitution of Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee may provide in the Award Agreement evidencing the grant of an Option that the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall have to right to substitute a Stock Appreciation Right for such Option at any time prior to or upon exercise of such Option, subject to the provisions of Section 7.2 hereof; provided that such Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable with respect to the same number of shares of Stock for which such substituted Option would have been exercisable.
     5.4 Paperless Exercise. In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the exercise of Options, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless exercise of options by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.
ARTICLE 6
RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS
     6.1 Grant of Restricted Stock. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Stock to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee. All Awards of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced by a written Restricted Stock Award Agreement.
     6.2 Issuance and Restrictions. Restricted Stock shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability and other restrictions as the Committee may impose (including, without limitation, limitations on the right to vote Restricted Stock or the right to receive dividends on the Restricted Stock). These restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, pursuant to such circumstances, in such installments, or otherwise, as the Committee determines at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter.
     6.3 Forfeiture. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee at the time of the grant of the Award or thereafter, upon termination of employment or service during the applicable restriction period, Restricted Stock that is at that time subject to restrictions shall be forfeited; provided, however, that, the Committee may (a) provide in any Restricted Stock Award Agreement that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock will be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and (b) in other cases waive in whole or in part restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to Restricted Stock.
     6.4 Certificates for Restricted Stock. Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock are registered in the name of the Participant, certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, and the Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of the certificate until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.

9


 

ARTICLE 7
STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
     7.1 Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights.
          (a) A Stock Appreciation Right may be granted to any Participant selected by the Committee. A Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall impose and shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement.
          (b) A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the Participant (or other person entitled to exercise the Stock Appreciation Right pursuant to the Plan) to exercise all or a specified portion of the Stock Appreciation Right (to the extent then exercisable pursuant to its terms) and to receive from the Company an amount determined by multiplying the difference obtained by subtracting the exercise price per share of the Stock Appreciation Right from the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right by the number of shares of Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right shall have been exercised, subject to any limitations the Committee may impose.
     7.2 Payment and Limitations on Exercise.
          (a) Payment of the amounts determined under Section 7.1(b) above shall be in cash, in Stock (based on its Fair Market Value as of the date the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised) or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee in the Award Agreement. To the extent payment for a Stock Appreciation Right is to be made in cash. The Award Agreements shall specify the date of payment which may be different than the date of exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right, to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements to Section 409A of the Code, as applicable. If the date of payment for a Stock Appreciation Right is later than the date of exercise, the Award Agreement may specify that the Participant be entitled to earnings on such amount until paid.
          (b) To the extent any payment under Section 7.1 (b) is effected in Stock it shall be made subject to satisfaction of all provisions of Article 5 above pertaining to Options.

10


 

ARTICLE 8
OTHER TYPES OF AWARDS
     8.1 Performance Share Awards. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Performance Share awards which shall be denominated in a number of shares of Stock and which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. In making such determinations, the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems relevant in light of the specific type of award) the contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the particular Participant.
     8.2 Performance Stock Units. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Performance Stock Unit awards which shall be denominated in units of value including dollar value of shares of Stock and which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. In making such determinations, the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems relevant in light of the specific type of award) the contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the particular Participant.
     8.3 Dividend Equivalents.
          (a) Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted Dividend Equivalents based on the dividends declared on the shares of Stock that are subject to any Award, to be credited as of dividend payment dates, during the period between the date the Award is granted and the date the Award is exercised, vests or expires, as determined by the Committee. Such Dividend Equivalents shall be converted to cash or additional shares of Stock by such formula and at such time and subject to such limitations as may be determined by the Committee.
          (b) Dividend Equivalents granted with respect to Options or SARs that are intended to be Qualified Performance-Based Compensation shall be payable, with respect to pre-exercise periods, regardless of whether such Option or SAR is subsequently exercised.
     8.4 Stock Payments. Any Participant selected by the Committee may receive Stock Payments in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee. The number of shares shall be determined by the Committee and may be based upon the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, determined on the date such Stock Payment is made or on any date thereafter.
     8.5 Deferred Stock. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted an award of Deferred Stock in the manner determined from time to time by the Committee. The number of shares of Deferred Stock shall be determined by the Committee and may be linked to the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined to be appropriate by

11


 

the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. Stock underlying a Deferred Stock award will not be issued until the Deferred Stock award has vested, pursuant to a vesting schedule or performance criteria set by the Committee. Unless otherwise provided by the Committee, a Participant awarded Deferred Stock shall have no rights as a Company stockholder with respect to such Deferred Stock until such time as the Deferred Stock Award has vested and the Stock underlying the Deferred Stock Award has been issued.
     8.6 Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is authorized to make Awards of Restricted Stock Units to any Participant selected by the Committee in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee. At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the date or dates on which the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and may specify such conditions to vesting as it deems appropriate. At the time of grant, the Committee shall specify the maturity date applicable to each grant of Restricted Stock Units which shall be no earlier than the vesting date or dates of the Award and may be determined at the election of the grantee. On the maturity date, the Company shall, subject to Section 10.5(b), transfer to the Participant one unrestricted, fully transferable share of Stock for each Restricted Stock Unit scheduled to be paid out on such date and not previously forfeited. The Committee shall specify the purchase price, if any, to be paid by the grantee to the Company for such shares of Stock.
     8.7 Other Stock-Based Awards. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Awards that provide Participants with shares of Stock or the right to purchase shares of Stock or that have a value derived from the value of, or an exercise or conversion privilege at a price related to, or that are otherwise payable in shares of Stock and which may be linked to any one or more of the Performance Criteria or other specific performance criteria determined appropriate by the Committee, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. In making such determinations, the Committee shall consider (among such other factors as it deems relevant in light of the specific type of Award) the contributions, responsibilities and other compensation of the particular Participant.
     8.8 Performance Bonus Awards. Any Participant selected by the Committee may be granted one or more Performance-Based Awards in the form of a cash bonus (a “Performance Bonus Award”) payable upon the attainment of Performance Goals that are established by the Committee and relate to one or more of the Performance Criteria, in each case on a specified date or dates or over any period or periods determined by the Committee. Any such Performance Bonus Award paid to a Covered Employee shall be based upon objectively determinable bonus formulas established in accordance with Article 9.
     8.9 Term. Except as otherwise provided herein, the term of any Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Stock Payments, Deferred Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock-Based Award shall be set by the Committee in its discretion.

12


 

     8.10 Exercise or Purchase Price. The Committee may establish the exercise or purchase price, if any, of any Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Deferred Stock, Stock Payments, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock-Based Award; provided, however, that such price shall not be less than the par value of a share of Stock on the date of grant, unless otherwise permitted by applicable state law.
     8.11 Exercise Upon Termination of Employment or Service. An Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Deferred Stock, Stock Payments, Restricted Stock Units and Other Stock-Based Award shall only be exercisable or payable while the Participant is an Employee, Consultant or a member of the Board, as applicable; provided, however, that the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion may provide that an Award of Performance Shares, Performance Stock Units, Dividend Equivalents, Stock Payments, Deferred Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock-Based Award may be exercised or paid subsequent to a termination of employment or service, as applicable, or following a Change in Control of the Company, or because of the Participant’s retirement, death or disability, or otherwise; provided, however, that any such provision with respect to Performance Shares or Performance Stock Units shall be subject to the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code that apply to Qualified Performance-Based Compensation.
     8.12 Form of Payment. Payments with respect to any Awards granted under this Article 8 shall be made in cash, in Stock or a combination of both, as determined by the Committee.
     8.13 Award Agreement. All Awards under this Article 8 shall be subject to such additional terms and conditions as determined by the Committee and shall be evidenced by a written Award Agreement.
ARTICLE 9
PERFORMANCE-BASED AWARDS
     9.1 Purpose. The purpose of this Article 9 is to provide the Committee the ability to qualify Awards other than Options and SARs and that are granted pursuant to Articles 6 and 8 as Qualified Performance-Based Compensation. If the Committee, in its discretion, decides to grant a Performance-Based Award to a Covered Employee, the provisions of this Article 9 shall control over any contrary provision contained in Articles 6 or 8; provided, however, that the Committee may in its discretion grant Awards to Covered Employees that are based on Performance Criteria or Performance Goals but that do not satisfy the requirements of this Article 9.
     9.2 Applicability. This Article 9 shall apply only to those Covered Employees selected by the Committee to receive Performance-Based Awards. The designation of a Covered Employee as a Participant for a Performance Period shall not in any manner entitle the Participant to receive an Award for the period. Moreover, designation of a Covered Employee as a Participant for a particular Performance Period shall not require designation of such Covered Employee as a Participant in any subsequent Performance Period and designation of one Covered Employee as a Participant shall not require designation of any other Covered Employees as a Participant in such period or in any other period.

13


 

     9.3 Procedures with Respect to Performance-Based Awards. To the extent necessary to comply with the Qualified Performance-Based Compensation requirements of Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, with respect to any Award granted under Articles 6 and 8 which may be granted to one or more Covered Employees, no later than ninety (90) days following the commencement of any fiscal year in question or any other designated fiscal period or period of service (or such other time as may be required or permitted by Section 162(m) of the Code), the Committee shall, in writing, (a) designate one or more Covered Employees, (b) select the Performance Criteria applicable to the Performance Period, (c) establish the Performance Goals, and amounts of such Awards, as applicable, which may be earned for such Performance Period, and (d) specify the relationship between Performance Criteria and the Performance Goals and the amounts of such Awards, as applicable, to be earned by each Covered Employee for such Performance Period. Following the completion of each Performance Period, the Committee shall certify in writing whether the applicable Performance Goals have been achieved for such Performance Period. In determining the amount earned by a Covered Employee, the Committee shall have the right to reduce or eliminate (but not to increase) the amount payable at a given level of performance to take into account additional factors that the Committee may deem relevant to the assessment of individual or corporate performance for the Performance Period.
     9.4 Payment of Performance-Based Awards. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant must be employed by the Company or a Subsidiary on the day a Performance-Based Award for such Performance Period is paid to the Participant. Furthermore, a Participant shall be eligible to receive payment pursuant to a Performance-Based Award for a Performance Period only if the Performance Goals for such period are achieved.
     9.5 Additional Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, any Award which is granted to a Covered Employee and is intended to constitute Qualified Performance-Based Compensation shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in Section 162(m) of the Code (including any amendment to Section 162(m) of the Code) or any regulations or rulings issued thereunder that are requirements for qualification as qualified performance-based compensation as described in Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Code, and the Plan shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.
ARTICLE 10
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO AWARDS
     10.1 Stand-Alone and Tandem Awards. Awards granted pursuant to the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone, in addition to, or in tandem with, any other Award granted pursuant to the Plan. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards.
     10.2 Award Agreement. Awards under the Plan shall be evidenced by Award Agreements that set forth the terms, conditions and limitations for each Award which may include the term of an Award, the provisions applicable in the event the Participant’s employment or service terminates, and the Company’s authority to unilaterally or bilaterally amend, modify, suspend, cancel or rescind an Award.

14


 

     10.3 Limits on Transfer. No right or interest of a Participant in any Award may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or a Subsidiary, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or a Subsidiary. Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, no Award shall be assigned, transferred, or otherwise disposed of by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. The Committee by express provision in the Award or an amendment thereto may permit an Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option) to be transferred to, exercised by and paid to certain persons or entities related to the Participant, including but not limited to members of the Participant’s family, charitable institutions, or trusts or other entities whose beneficiaries or beneficial owners are members of the Participant’s family and/or charitable institutions, or to such other persons or entities as may be expressly approved by the Committee, pursuant to such conditions and procedures as the Committee may establish. Any permitted transfer shall be subject to the condition that the Committee receive evidence satisfactory to it that the transfer is being made for estate and/or tax planning purposes (or to a “blind trust” in connection with the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company or a Subsidiary to assume a position with a governmental, charitable, educational or similar non-profit institution) and on a basis consistent with the Company’s lawful issue of securities.
     10.4 Beneficiaries. Notwithstanding Section 10.3, a Participant may, in the manner determined by the Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant and to receive any distribution with respect to any Award upon the Participant’s death. A beneficiary, legal guardian, legal representative, or other person claiming any rights pursuant to the Plan is subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and any Award Agreement applicable to the Participant, except to the extent the Plan and Award Agreement otherwise provide, and to any additional restrictions deemed necessary or appropriate by the Committee. If the Participant is married and resides in a community property state, a designation of a person other than the Participant’s spouse as his or her beneficiary with respect to more than 50% of the Participant’s interest in the Award shall not be effective without the prior written consent of the Participant’s spouse. If no beneficiary has been designated or survives the Participant, payment shall be made to the person entitled thereto pursuant to the Participant’s will or the laws of descent and distribution. Subject to the foregoing, a beneficiary designation may be changed or revoked by a Participant at any time provided the change or revocation is filed with the Committee.
     10.5 Stock Certificates; Book Entry Procedures.
          (a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates evidencing shares of Stock pursuant to the exercise of any Award, unless and until the Board has determined, with advice of counsel, that the issuance and delivery of such certificates is in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations of governmental authorities and, if applicable, the requirements of any exchange on which the shares of Stock are listed or traded. All Stock certificates delivered pursuant to the Plan are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to comply with federal, state, or foreign jurisdiction, securities or other laws, rules and regulations and the rules of any national securities exchange or automated quotation system on

15


 

which the Stock is listed, quoted, or traded. The Committee may place legends on any Stock certificate to reference restrictions applicable to the Stock. In addition to the terms and conditions provided herein, the Board may require that a Participant make such reasonable covenants, agreements, and representations as the Board, in its discretion, deems advisable in order to comply with any such laws, regulations, or requirements. The Committee shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement or exercise of any Award, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the discretion of the Committee.
          (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Committee or required by any applicable law, rule or regulation, the Company shall not deliver to any Participant certificates evidencing shares of Stock issued in connection with any Award and instead such shares of Stock shall be recorded in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).
ARTICLE 11
CHANGES IN CAPITAL STRUCTURE
     11.1 Adjustments.
          (a) In the event that any dividend or other distribution, reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Stock or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Stock (other than an Equity Restructuring) occurs such that an adjustment is determined by the Committee (in its sole discretion) to be appropriate in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust (i) the number and type of shares which may be delivered under the Plan (including but not limited to adjustments of the limitations in Sections 3.1 and 3.3); (ii) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); and (ii) the grant or exercise price per share and the number of shares of Stock covered by each Award.
          (b) In connection with the occurrence of any Equity Restructuring, and notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 11(a):
               (i) The number and type of securities subject to each outstanding Award and the exercise price or grant price thereof, if applicable, will be proportionately adjusted so that the fair value of each such Award and the proportionate interest represented thereby immediately after the Equity Restructuring will equal the fair value of such Award and the proportionate interest represented thereby immediately prior to such Equity Restructuring. The adjustments provided under this Section 11(b)(i) shall be nondiscretionary and shall be final and binding on the affected Participant and the Company.
               (ii) The Committee shall make such proportionate adjustments, if any, as it in its discretion may deem appropriate to reflect such Equity Restructuring with respect to the aggregate number and kind of shares that may be issued under the Plan (including, but not limited to, adjustments of the limitations in Section 3.1 and 3.3).

16


 

          (c) All adjustments under this Section 11 shall be made (i) in a manner that does not cause a modification to any Awards outstanding on the date of such adjustment within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations or published guidance thereunder, (ii) with respect to any Award intended as Qualified Performance-Based Compensation consistent with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code; and (iii) with respect to any Incentive Stock Option consistent with the requirements of Section 424 of the Code.
          (d) In the event of any transaction or event described in Section 11.1(a), an Equity Restructuring or any unusual or nonrecurring transactions or events affecting the Company, any affiliate of the Company, or the financial statements of the Company or any affiliate (including without limitation any Change in Control), or of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles, and whenever the Committee determines that action is appropriate in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan or with respect to any Award under the Plan, to facilitate such transactions or events or to give effect to such changes in laws, regulations or principles, the Committee, in its sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, either by amendment of the terms of any outstanding Awards or by action taken prior to the occurrence of such transaction or event and either automatically or upon the Participant’s request, is hereby authorized to take any one or more of the following actions:
               (i) To provide for either (A) termination of any such Award in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property, if any, equal to the amount that would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in this Section 11.1(b) the Committee determines in good faith that no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of such Award or realization of the Participant’s rights, then such Award may be terminated by the Company without payment) or (B) the replacement of such Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee in its sole discretion;
               (ii) To provide that such Award be assumed by the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, or shall be substituted for by similar options, rights or awards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices; and
               (iii) To make adjustments in the number and type of shares of Stock (or other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards, and in the number and kind of outstanding Restricted Stock or Deferred Stock and/or in the terms and conditions of (including the grant or exercise price), and the criteria included in, outstanding options, rights and awards and options, rights and awards which may be granted in the future;
               (iv) To provide that such Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement; and

17


 

               (v) To provide that the Award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable after such event.
     11.2 Acceleration Upon a Change in Control. Notwithstanding Section 11.1, and except as may otherwise be provided in any applicable Award Agreement or other written agreement entered into between the Company and a Participant, if a Change in Control occurs and a Participant’s Awards are not converted, assumed, or replaced by a successor entity, then immediately prior to the Change in Control such Awards shall become fully exercisable and all forfeiture restrictions on such Awards shall lapse. Upon, or in anticipation of, a Change in Control, the Committee may cause any and all Awards outstanding hereunder to terminate at a specific time in the future, including but not limited to the date of such Change in Control, and shall give each Participant the right to exercise such Awards during a period of time as the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall determine or the right to receive the consideration that stockholders of the Company would receive in connection with such Change in Control less any exercise price or base price for any Award. In the event that the terms of any agreement between the Company or any Company subsidiary or affiliate and a Participant contains provisions that conflict with and are more restrictive than the provisions of this Section 11.2, this Section 11.2 shall prevail and control and the more restrictive terms of such agreement (and only such terms) shall be of no force or effect.
     11.3 No Other Rights. Except as expressly provided in the Plan, no Participant shall have any rights by reason of any subdivision or consolidation of shares of stock of any class, the payment of any dividend, any increase or decrease in the number of shares of stock of any class or any dissolution, liquidation, merger, or consolidation of the Company or any other corporation. Except as expressly provided in the Plan or pursuant to action of the Committee under the Plan, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares of Stock subject to an Award or the grant or exercise price of any Award.
ARTICLE 12
ADMINISTRATION
     12.1 Committee. Unless and until the Board delegates administration of the Plan to a Committee as set forth below, the Plan shall be administered by the full Board, and for such purposes the term “Committee” as used in this Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board. The Board, at its discretion or as otherwise necessary to comply with the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code, Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or to the extent required by any other applicable rule or regulation, shall delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee. The Committee shall consist solely of two or more members of the Board each of whom is both an “outside director,” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, and a Non-Employee Director. Notwithstanding the foregoing: (a) the full Board, acting by a majority of its members in office, shall conduct the general administration of the Plan with respect to all Awards granted to Independent Directors and for purposes of such Awards the term “Committee” as used in this Plan shall be deemed to refer to the Board and (b) the Committee may delegate its authority hereunder to the extent permitted by Section 12.5. Appointment of

18


 

Committee members shall be effective upon acceptance of appointment. The Board may abolish the Committee at any time and revest in the Board the administration of the Plan. Committee members may resign at any time by delivering written notice to the Board. Vacancies in the Committee may only be filled by the Board.
     12.2 Action by the Committee. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, and acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee in lieu of a meeting, shall be deemed the acts of the Committee. Each member of the Committee is entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to that member by any officer or other employee of the Company or any Subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant or other professional retained by the Company to assist in the administration of the Plan.
     12.3 Authority of Committee. Subject to any specific designation in the Plan, the Committee has the exclusive power, authority and discretion to:
          (a) Designate Participants to receive Awards;
          (b) Determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant;
          (c) Determine the number of Awards to be granted and the number of shares of Stock to which an Award will relate;
          (d) Determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, including, but not limited to, the exercise price, grant price, or purchase price, any reload provision, any restrictions or limitations on the Award, any schedule for lapse of forfeiture restrictions or restrictions on the exercisability of an Award, and accelerations or waivers thereof, any provisions related to non-competition and recapture of gain on an Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines; provided, however, that the Committee shall not have the authority to accelerate the vesting or waive the forfeiture of any Performance-Based Awards;
          (e) Determine whether, to what extent, and pursuant to what circumstances an Award may be settled in, or the exercise price of an Award may be paid in, cash, Stock, other Awards, or other property, or an Award may be canceled, forfeited, or surrendered;
          (f) Prescribe the form of each Award Agreement, which need not be identical for each Participant;
          (g) Decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;
          (h) Establish, adopt, or revise any rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or advisable to administer the Plan;
          (i) Interpret the terms of, and any matter arising pursuant to, the Plan or any Award Agreement; and

19


 

          (j) Make all other decisions and determinations that may be required pursuant to the Plan or as the Committee deems necessary or advisable to administer the Plan.
     12.4 Decisions Binding. The Committee’s interpretation of the Plan, any Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, any Award Agreement and all decisions and determinations by the Committee with respect to the Plan are final, binding, and conclusive on all parties.
     12.5 Delegation of Authority. To the extent permitted by and subject to the provisions of applicable law, the Committee may from time to time delegate to a committee of one or more members of the Board or one or more officers of the Company the authority to grant or amend Awards to Participants other than (a) senior executives of the Company who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, (b) Covered Employees, or (c) officers of the Company (or members of the Board) to whom authority to grant or amend Awards has been delegated hereunder. Any delegation hereunder shall be subject to the restrictions and limits that the Committee specifies at the time of such delegation, and the Committee may at any time rescind the authority so delegated or appoint a new delegatee. At all times, the delegatee appointed under this Section 12.5 shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of the Committee.
ARTICLE 13
EFFECTIVE AND EXPIRATION DATE
     13.1 Effective Date. The Plan is effective as of the date the Plan is approved by the Company’s stockholders (the “Effective Date”). The Plan will be deemed to be approved by the stockholders if it receives the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of stock of the Company present or represented and entitled to vote at a meeting duly held in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Company’s Bylaws.
     13.2 Expiration Date. The Plan will expire on, and no Incentive Stock Option or other Award may be granted pursuant to the Plan after, the earlier of the tenth anniversary of (i) the Effective Date or (ii) the date this Plan is approved by the Board. Any Awards that are outstanding on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date shall remain in force according to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.
ARTICLE 14
AMENDMENT, MODIFICATION, AND TERMINATION
     14.1 Amendment, Modification, And Termination. With the approval of the Board, at any time and from time to time, the Committee may terminate, amend or modify the Plan; provided, however, that (a) to the extent necessary and desirable to comply with any applicable law, regulation, or stock exchange rule, the Company shall obtain stockholder approval of any Plan amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required, and (b) stockholder approval is required for any amendment to the Plan that (i) increases the number of shares available under the Plan (other than any adjustment as provided by Article 11), (ii) permits the Committee to grant Options with an exercise price that is below Fair Market Value on the date of grant, or (iii) permits the Committee to extend the exercise period for an Option beyond ten years from the

20


 

date of grant. Notwithstanding any provision in this Plan to the contrary, absent approval of the stockholders of the Company, no Option may be amended to reduce the per share exercise price of the shares subject to such Option below the per share exercise price as of the date the Option is granted and, except as permitted by Article 11, no Option may be granted in exchange for, or in connection with, the cancellation or surrender of an Option having a higher per share exercise price.
     14.2 Awards Previously Granted. No termination, amendment, or modification of the Plan shall adversely affect in any material way any Award previously granted pursuant to the Plan without the prior written consent of the Participant.
ARTICLE 15
GENERAL PROVISIONS
     15.1 No Rights to Awards. No Eligible Individual or other person shall have any claim to be granted any Award pursuant to the Plan, and neither the Company nor the Committee is obligated to treat Eligible Individuals, Participants or any other persons uniformly.
     15.2 No Stockholders Rights. Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights of a stockholder with respect to shares of Stock covered by any Award until the Participant becomes the record owner of such shares of Stock.
     15.3 Withholding. The Company or any Subsidiary shall have the authority and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, local and foreign taxes (including the Participant’s FICA obligation) required by law to be withheld with respect to any taxable event concerning a Participant arising as a result of this Plan. The Committee may in its discretion and in satisfaction of the foregoing requirement allow a Participant to elect to have the Company withhold shares of Stock otherwise issuable under an Award (or allow the return of shares of Stock) having a Fair Market Value equal to the sums required to be withheld. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the number of shares of Stock which may be withheld with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of any Award (or which may be repurchased from the Participant of such Award within six months (or such other period as may be determined by the Committee) after such shares of Stock were acquired by the Participant from the Company) in order to satisfy the Participant’s federal, state, local and foreign income and payroll tax liabilities with respect to the issuance, vesting, exercise or payment of the Award shall be limited to the number of shares which have a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding or repurchase equal to the aggregate amount of such liabilities based on the minimum statutory withholding rates for federal, state, local and foreign income tax and payroll tax purposes that are applicable to such supplemental taxable income.
     15.4 No Right to Employment or Services. Nothing in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company or any Subsidiary to terminate any Participant’s employment or services at any time, nor confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Company or any Subsidiary.

21


 

     15.5 Unfunded Status of Awards. The Plan is intended to be an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant pursuant to an Award, nothing contained in the Plan or any Award Agreement shall give the Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company or any Subsidiary.
     15.6 Indemnification. To the extent allowable pursuant to applicable law, each member of the Committee or of the Board shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
     15.7 Relationship to other Benefits. No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits pursuant to any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.
     15.8 Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries.
     15.9 Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of the Sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
     15.10 Fractional Shares. No fractional shares of Stock shall be issued and the Committee shall determine, in its discretion, whether cash shall be given in lieu of fractional shares or whether such fractional shares shall be eliminated by rounding up or down as appropriate.
     15.11 Limitations Applicable to Section 16 Persons. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Plan, and any Award granted or awarded to any Participant who is then subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be subject to any additional limitations set forth in any applicable exemptive rule under Section 16 of the Exchange Act (including any amendment to Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act) that are requirements for the application of such exemptive rule. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Plan and Awards granted or awarded hereunder shall be deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such applicable exemptive rule.

22


 

     15.12 Government and Other Regulations. The obligation of the Company to make payment of awards in Stock or otherwise shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by government agencies as may be required. The Company shall be under no obligation to register pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, any of the shares of Stock paid pursuant to the Plan. If the shares paid pursuant to the Plan may in certain circumstances be exempt from registration pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Company may restrict the transfer of such shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.
     15.13 Governing Law. The Plan and all Award Agreements shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of California.
* * * * *
     I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was duly adopted by the Board of Directors of AeroVironment, Inc. on                      ___, 2006.
* * * * *
     I hereby certify that the foregoing Plan was approved by the stockholders of AeroVironment, Inc. on                      ___, 2006.
     Executed on this ___ day of                     , 2006.
             
 
           
 
      Corporate Secretary    

23

exv23w1
 

Exhibit 23.1
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption “Experts” and to the use of our report dated July 22, 2006, in the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-137658) and related Prospectus of AeroVironment, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2006.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG, LLP
Los Angeles, California
November 1, 2006

corresp
 

Craig M. Garner
Direct Dial: (858) 523-5407
Craig.Garner@LW.com


(LATHAM AND WATKINS LLP)
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, California 92130-2071
Tel: (858) 523-5400 Fax: (858) 523-5450
www.lw.com

FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES
     
Brussels
  New York
Chicago
  Northern Virginia
Frankfurt
  Orange County
Hamburg
  Paris
Hong Kong
  San Diego
London
  San Francisco
Los Angeles
  Shanghai
Milan
  Silicon Valley
Moscow
  Singapore
Munich
  Tokyo
New Jersey
  Washington, State D.C.
File No. 029637-0010


November 2, 2006
Max A. Webb
Assistant Director
Division of Corporation Finance
Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, N.E., Mail Stop 3561
Washington, D.C. 20549
         
 
  Re:   AeroVironment, Inc.
 
      Registration Statement on Form S-1
 
      Filed September 28, 2006
 
      File No. 333-137658
Dear Mr. Webb:
     We are in receipt of the Staff’s letter dated October 25, 2006 with respect to the above-referenced Registration Statement. We are responding to the Staff’s comments on behalf of AeroVironment, Inc. (“AeroVironment” or the “Company”) as set forth below. Simultaneously with the filing of this letter, AeroVironment is submitting (by EDGAR) Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Amendment”), responding to the Staff’s comments. Courtesy copies of this letter and the Amendment (specifically marked to show the changes thereto) are being submitted to the Staff by hand delivery.
     AeroVironment’s responses set forth in this letter are numbered to correspond to the numbered comments in the Staff’s letter. All terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Amendment. For ease of reference, we have set forth the Staff’s comments and AeroVironment’s response for each item below.
Prospectus
General
1.   Please provide us with any artwork that you intend to use. The inside front cover artwork should be clear illustrations of your product or business with concise language describing the illustrations. Artwork that does not convey the business purpose and language that strays beyond a limited scope will not be appropriate inside the front cover. Please refer to Section VIII of the Division of Corporation Finance March 31, 2001 Current Issues and Rulemaking Projects Quarterly Update available at www.sec.gov.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 2 of 27
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that the artwork is currently in development and could not be included in the Amendment. AeroVironment will include the artwork in the next amendment and provide it to the Staff prior to that time if it becomes available. It is contemplated that the artwork will consist of illustrations and short descriptions of the Company’s products.
2.   Please revise your statement on page i that “[t]he information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date” to clarify that the date to which you refer is the date of the prospectus.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page i of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
3.   In numerous places in the prospectus, you indicate your belief regarding some aspect of your UAS or PosiCharge products. Please provide us with the basis for these beliefs, examples of which include:
    On page 51: Your UAS and PosiCharge products “provide unique capabilities that had not previously existed,” “perform reliably and affordably,” and have “high efficiency... relative to previous available alternatives.”
 
    On page 52: “[F]or the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, sales of our small UAS accounted for a significant majority of the U.S. military’s small UAS purchases.”
 
    On page 52: Your work to develop certain battery charging algorithms “contributed to the major battery manufacturers offering battery warranties for fast charge.”
     AeroVironment Response: In response to the Staff’s comment, AeroVironment has provided, as Annex A to this letter, material supporting the statements of belief contained in the Amendment regarding its UAS and PosiCharge products.
4.   In numerous places in the prospectus, you compare your PosiCharge product to others in your industry. Please provide us with the basis for such comparisons and, if available to you and not already included, include in the prospectus a comparison with other fast charge competitors like those listed on page 8. Examples of your statements include:
    On pages 2 and 48: “PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial vehicle battery and return it to service up to 16 times faster than conventional charging methods.”
 
    On page 52: “PosiCharge can reduce the amount of electricity required to support electric industrial vehicles by several hundred dollars per year per vehicle as compared to conventional battery chargers.”

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 3 of 27
    On page 52: “[O]ther fast charge and conventional charge systems, which lack our current and voltage regulating tailored charge algorithms and monitoring capabilities, may actually contribute to lower battery performance and lifespan over time, ultimately resulting in higher battery costs and degraded vehicle performance.”
 
    On page 52: “PosiCharge customers typically begin to realize cost savings when compared to battery charging within the first twelve months of operation.”
 
    On page 56: PosiCharge DVS “is designed to deliver lower up-front installation and ongoing utility costs when compared to other single vehicle fast chargers.”
 
    On page 56: PosiCharge MVS “is designed to deliver greater cost-savings as the number of vehicles simultaneously charged increases, as compared to competitive charging systems, which are currently capable of charging only up to eight vehicles at the same time.”
     AeroVironment Response: In response to the Staff’s comment, AeroVironment has provided, as Annex B to this letter, material supporting the statements contained in the Amendment comparing its PosiCharge product to others in the industry. In addition, AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that it does not have available data providing direct comparisons of its PosiCharge products to the fast charge products of its competitors to include in the Amendment.
5.   We note the dealer prospectus delivery obligation language you include on page i of the prospectus. Please also include this language on the outside back cover page of the prospectus. Refer to Item 502(b) of Regulation S-K.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has added the legend to the outside back cover page of the prospectus which is contained in the Amendment, in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Prospectus Summary
Overview, page 1
6.   Please explain here what you mean by “funded backlog” and “unfunded backlog” in the last paragraph of this section.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 2 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
7.   Revise the last sentence of the first paragraph to give the growth rate for each of the three years, not the compound rate.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 4 of 27
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 1 and 50 of the Amendment to include the annual growth rate for the period from April 30, 2004 to April 30, 2005 and for the period from April 30, 2005 to April 30, 2006. AeroVironment believes that additionally disclosing its compound annual growth rate for the aggregate of these periods provides prospective investors with a better understanding of its performance.
8.   Revise the first sentence of the second paragraph to eliminate the capital letters in global war on terror.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 1, 50, 52 and 53 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Summary Consolidated Financial Data, page 5
9.   We refer you to footnote 1 concerning the stock split to be reflected in your pro forma earnings per share. Please clarify whether the stock split will occur prior or subsequent to the effectiveness of your Form S-1 registration statements. If prior to effectiveness, SAB Topic 4C requires that stock splits effected after the date of the latest balance sheet presented, but before the effective date of the registration statement, be retroactively reflected, with disclosure, in the financial statements for all periods presented. Please advise or revise as appropriate.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 5, 6, 33 and 34 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Risk Factors
General
10.   Please consider a risk factor about growing congestion in battlefield skies and how this could limit the use of UAS vehicles. Describe any accidents that have occurred involving UAS vehicles. See Too many drones in Army’s future? Tight airspace may force cuts in UAV programs, dated July 10, 2006, in Army Times.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has added a new risk factor on page 14 of the Amendment in response to the Staff’s comment.
11.   Please consider a risk factor about the “forward operating depot” you maintain in Iraq to support your UAS fleet used by the U.S. military, as referenced at the top of page 52. Include the number of company employees and the potential harmful results to the company and its employees should it be attacked or destroyed. As part of this risk factor, include instructors or other support personnel that you have stationed abroad generally, as referenced on page 55.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 16 of the Amendment in response to the Staff’s comment. In addition, AeroVironment notes that all inventory and equipment located at this forward operating depot is property of the U.S. government, which bears the risk of loss in the event that this equipment is damaged or destroyed.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 5 of 27
12.   Consider adding a risk factor that any winding down of the war in Iraq might adversely affect your sales.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 8 of the Amendment in response to the Staff’s comment.
We rely heavily on sales to the U.S. government, page 7
13.   You indicate that governmental agencies could exercise their rights to terminate contracts at-will. Please revise to indicate whether all or substantially all of your government contracts are terminable at will.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 7 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
If critical components of our products that we currently purchase, page 9
14.   Name your sole suppliers of critical components here or in the Business section and cross-reference the site here.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 10 and 63 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Our earnings and profit margins may decrease, page 12
15.   We note that you define fixed-price and cost-plus-fee contracts in the risk factor on page 13 entitled, “Cost overruns on our contracts could subject us to losses...” Please define these terms in this risk factor instead or switch the order in which these risk factors appear.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 12 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
16.   In addition, please revise to indicate whether “development work” references research and development work.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 12 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Our business could be adversely affected by a negative audit, page 19
17.   You indicate here and on page 61 that you are currently being audited by the Defense Contract Management Agency (“DCMA”) and that DCMA has “identified certain corrective actions to be taken with respect to our current system, which we are in the process of implementing.” On page 61, you identify the system under audit as the system “for the care, control and accountability of government property.” Please so identify the system in this risk factor, as well. In addition, please summarize material corrective actions which DCMA has identified, if practicable. For example, if the need for certificates of authorization for certain flight tests of UAS outside military installations,

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 6 of 27
      which you discuss on the bottom of page 10, was identified as part of this audit, please so indicate.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 19, 20 and 65 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that because implementation of the corrective measures identified by the DCMA has not had a material impact on its business, financial condition or results of operations, it believes that a summary of the corrective actions taken is not necessary.
Our management, whose interest may not be aligned with yours, page 22
18.   We note the disclosure on page 22 indicating that the Company’s executive officers and their affiliates collectively own 80.7% of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock. We also note that they currently control the vote on all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and will continue to do so following completion of the offering. Please revise the notes to the Company’s financial statements to disclose the existence of this control relationship. Refer to the disclosure requirements outlined in paragraph 2 of SFAS No. 57.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully disagrees with the Staff’s analysis of the requirements of SFAS No. 57. Paragraph 2 of SFAS No. 57 states that “[f]inancial statements shall include disclosures of material related party transactions. . . .” As ownership of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock is not a “transaction,” the Company does not believe that disclosure of common stock ownership should be included in the Related Party Transactions footnote to the Company’s financial statements. In addition, the Company notes that, as the definition of what constitutes “ownership” is different for purposes of the financial statements than it is for purposes of calculating the percentages for the Company’s principal stockholders in the Registration Statement, inclusion of this information in the notes to the financial statements could be confusing to investors. Also, as noted in the Company’s response to the Staff’s Comment No. 45, the Company has revised the disclosure on page F-21 to disclose the significant terms of the voting agreement with certain stockholders of the Company.
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements, page 26
19.   We note your statement in the last paragraph of this section that you cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of “statistical and other industry data generated by independent parties.” A disclaimer of liability for material information provided by the issuer is not appropriate. Please revise to remove the language noted above. Alternately, revise to say that you believe and act as if they are accurate.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 27 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Use of Proceeds, page 27
20.   Please quantify the various uses of proceeds, if practicable.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 7 of 27
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that it has not yet determined the allocation of the proceeds among the proposed uses and that consequently it is not able to quantify the various potential uses at this time.
Dividend Policy, page 27
21.   We note the disclosure on page 27 indicating that the Company’s debt agreements restrict the Company from paying any dividends to its stockholders. Please revise the notes to the Company’s financial statements to disclose the nature and terms of the restrictions imposed on the Company’s ability to pay dividends by the terms of its debt arrangements. Refer to the requirements outlined in Rule 4-08(e) of Regulation S-X.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-31 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. AeroVironment notes that the credit agreement referred to on page F-31 prohibits it from paying any dividends to its stockholders, except in certain cases which do not apply to AeroVironment.
Capitalization, page 28
22.   We note from the disclosure in the paragraph preceding your capitalization table on page 28 that “as adjusted” capitalization gives effect to the exercise of outstanding options by certain selling shareholders in the offering. If the exercise of these options will result in a material reduction of earnings applicable to common shareholders (excluding the effects of the offering), please revise to disclose pro forma earnings per share for the latest fiscal year and subsequent interim period presented giving effect to the conversion, but not to the offering. This pro forma presentation should be included on the face of your statements of operations for the latest fiscal year and subsequent interim period presented and should also be disclosed in your Summary Consolidated Financial Data. Refer to the guidance outlined in Topic Three, Section IV.C. 3. of the Division of Corporation Finance Staff Training Manual.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that the determination of the number of options that are to be exercised by certain selling stockholders in the offering has not been determined. When that determination is made, the Company will revise the disclosure in the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment if the exercise will result in a material reduction of the earnings applicable to common stockholders.
Selected Consolidated Financial Data, page 32
23.   Please disclose the nature of any matters that impact the comparability of your selected financial data for the periods presented. Refer to the guidance outlined in Instruction 2 to Item 301 of Regulation S-K.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 33 and 34 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. AeroVironment is aware of no other matters, including accounting changes, business combinations, dispositions of business operations, or other transactions, that materially affect the comparability of the information reflected in its selected financial data. AeroVironment is also not aware of any additional items or

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 8 of 27
material uncertainties which it believes would enhance the understanding of or would highlight other trends in its financial condition and results of operations.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis, page 34
24.   Please expand your MD&A to identify and discuss key performance indicators that management uses to manage the business and that would be material to investors, and to provide information about the quality of, and potential variability of, the Company’s earnings and cash flows, so that investors can ascertain the likelihood that past performance is indicative of future performance. Refer to SEC Release No. 33-8350.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that the key performance indicators that its management considers in evaluating its business include revenue, cost of sales, gross margin, research and development expenses, backlog and selling, general and administrative expenses. In response to the Staff’s comment, AeroVironment has provided additional disclosure regarding each of these performance indicators and how AeroVironment views its business on pages 35, 36 and 37.
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan Obligation, page 36
25.   We note the disclosure indicating that accruals due to Dr. MacCready under the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan will be reversed in connection with the Company’s planned public offering. As Dr. MacCready is one of the Company’s principal shareholders, it appears the reversal of this obligation should be accounted for as a capital contribution in the Company’s financial statements. Please revise to explain your planned accounting treatment for the reversal of this obligation and the relevant technical accounting literature that supports your planned treatment.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 39 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. The Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the “SERP”) was designed to provide retirement benefits for Dr. MacCready based upon the assumption that no initial public offering of the Company was likely to occur. However, upon a successful initial public offering, the SERP would be canceled. Unless and until the Company’s initial public offering is completed, the Company believes that the most accurate estimate of the liability associated with the SERP is the net present value of the expected payment stream. Upon the occurrence of the initial public offering or other liquidity event, the most accurate estimate of the liability associated with the SERP will be zero. The Company therefore views this reversal as a change in an accounting estimate that is consistent with the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, paragraph 19.
Liquidity and Capital Resources, page 42
26.   Revise to describe reasons for material changes in cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities from period to period. We note that your disclosures are merely a reiteration of the cash flow statement. The liquidity discussion should focus on the reasons for the changes in assets and liabilities and the need for purchases of property and equipment, treasury stock, investments, acquisitions, etc.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 9 of 27
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 45, 46 and 47 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Overview, page 47
27.   Please better explain what “grid-tied” means with reference to Architectural Wind.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 51 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Small UAS, page 48
28.   Please clarify here that Global Hawk and Predator referenced at the top of page 49 are not manufactured by you.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 52 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
29.   Please indicate to what extent commercial applications for UAS, such as those that you mention in the last paragraph of this section, have already developed. If most have not yet developed, please explain why not.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 53 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems, page 50
30.   Please define what you mean by logistics in a business setting, as referenced on page 51.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 54 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Small UAS, page 51
31.   You indicate that your five types of small UAS vehicles, with the exception of Dragon Eye, share a “common ground control unit.” Does this mean that their ground control units are the same?
     AeroVironment Response: Yes. The same ground control unit is used to operate all of the Company’s small UAS, with the exception of Dragon Eye.
32.   In addition, how does the need for landing space comport with the use of these vehicles in urban environments? Please describe any other challenges to use of UAS vehicles in urban environments. For example, see Army finds Raven UAVs unsuitable for Baghdad use, dated September 6, 2005, in Aerospace Daily & Defense Report.
     AeroVironment Response: Given the ability of system operators to maintain line of sight communications between the transceiver and the aircraft, which can be accomplished by mounting the transceiver on a high location such as a rooftop, AeroVironment believes that UAS vehicles are

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 10 of 27
valuable tools in urban environments and will continue to be used extensively in such settings. Regarding the need for landing space, the Company notes that Raven and Puma can land nearly vertically through a controlled stall, enabling either vehicle to land on a rooftop or small clearing. With respect to the risks presented by air traffic congestion in urban environments, AeroVironment has provided additional disclosure on page 14 of the Amendment. The Company’s small UAS, including Raven and Dragon Eye, are being used extensively in both urban and rural environments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
33.   Revise the last sentence of this section to replace the compound annual growth rate with the growth rate for each of the three years. Make a similar change in the last sentence of the next section.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 55 of the Amendment to include the annual growth rate for the period from April 30, 2004 to April 30, 2005 and for the period from April 30, 2005 to April 30, 2006. AeroVironment believes that additionally disclosing its compound annual growth rate for the aggregate of these periods provides prospective investors with a better understanding of its performance.
PosiCharge Fast Charge Systems, page 52
34.   You indicate that PosiCharge was developed from your “innovative” work on electrical and hybrid vehicles and battery systems in the 1990s. Either revise to eliminate this adjective or detail how your work was innovative.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 55 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Technology and Research and Development, page 53
35.   Please describe the makeup of and selection process for the intellectual property and commercialization committee you mention in the third paragraph on page 54. Is this a committee of the board of directors, management, or other employees?
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 57 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
36.   Please indicate why you often choose to protect your intellectual property “through trade secrets as opposed to publication,” as referenced in the fourth paragraph on page 54.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 58 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Products and Services, page 54
37.   We note the disclosure on page 54 indicating that the Company provides system solutions that typically include hardware, software, training, service, spare parts, and ongoing support. We also note from the disclosure on page F-10 that the substantial majority of the Company’s revenue is generated pursuant to written contractual arrangements to design,

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 11 of 27
      develop, manufacture, and/or modify complex products, and to provide related engineering, technical and other services according to the specification of the customers. We further note that these arrangements are accounted for pursuant to SOP 81-1. Please tell us and clarify in your accounting policy disclosures whether any of your sales arrangements provide for multiple deliverables that must be accounted for in accordance with the guidance outlined in EITF 00-21. If so, please tell us and expand your disclosure to explain how you consider the guidance outlined in EITF 00-21 in accounting for these arrangements.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 38 and F-10 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. AeroVironment considers all contracts for treatment in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board Emerging Issues Task Force No. 00-21, “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables” (“EITF 00-21”). EITF 00-21 provides for deferral to higher authoritative guidance, including American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Statement of Position 81-1, Accounting for Performance of Construction-Type and Certain Production-Type Contracts (“SOP 81-1”), under which the majority of AeroVironment’s contracts are properly accounted for. Contracts which provide for multiple deliverables to which SOP 81-1 does not apply are accounted for in accordance with the provisions of EITF No. 00-21.
Small UAS, page 55
38.   Please include the size of the fleet for each vehicle and each of its primary customers.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment respectfully requests that it not be required to provide disclosure regarding the size of the fleet for each vehicle for each of its primary customers. Certain of the Company’s vehicles are in the evaluation stage with its customers. Making the number of such vehicles that have been supplied to these customers publicly available would alert AeroVironment’s competitors as to the stage of the evaluation process to which these programs had progressed. Such knowledge would provide its competitors, who AeroVironment believes to be actively attempting to sell their products to the same customers, with competitively sensitive information that could be used by them to target their marketing efforts to the Company’s disadvantage, thereby damaging AeroVironment’s prospects for successful program acquisition.
     Further, AeroVironment has limited awareness of how its vehicles are deployed once they are shipped to its customers and is unable to ascertain how many of the vehicles it has supplied to a customer are being actively deployed at any given time as opposed to being retained for training or inventory purposes. Moreover, due to the national security implications of their operations, AeroVironment does not believe that its Department of Defense customers would be willing to provide it with such information, or if it were willing to provide such information to AeroVironment, that it would be willing for AeroVironment to make such information publicly available.
Contract Engineering Services, page 57
39.   Please indicate why you are not seeking to grow this service offering at this time.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 60 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 12 of 27
UAS Manufacturing and Operations, Page 59
40.   Please define ISO and “ISO 9001: 2000” referenced on the top of page 60.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 63 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Competition, page 60
41.   Your list of UAS competitors here differs somewhat from that provided on page 8. For example, you include Northrop Grumman Corporation as a competitor on page 8 but state here that its Global Hawk is not viewed by you as direct competition. Please revise to make your disclosure consistent.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 8 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Regulation, page 61
42.   Please revise to elaborate on the corrective actions identified by the DCMA. Include any financial statement impact including costs of implementation in your disclosure.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 65 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. AeroVironment respectfully advises the Staff that because implementation of the corrective measures identified by the DCMA has not had a material impact on its business, financial condition or results of operations, it believes that a summary of the corrective actions taken is not necessary.
Bidding Process, page 62
43.   You state in the third paragraph that you are the “sole provider under the only two programs of record established by the DoD for small UAS, a 2006 U.S. Army/SOCOM contract for Raven and a 2003 U.S. Marine Corps contract for Dragon Eye.” Please provide additional background and context for these contracts so investors can better assess their significance. For example, how big are the contracts in dollars and in number of vehicles delivered, and for what length of time are the contracts?
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 66 and 67 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
44.   In addition, if these were the only two such UAS programs, how did you come to supply the U.S. Navy, as identified in the chart on page 55, which is not one of the customers under the two contracts? How did you come to supply customers with the Swift, the Wasp, and the Puma, as identified in that same chart, which are not vehicles you supplied under the two contracts? Furthermore, how did you come to be the sole provider of Ravens to the U.S. Army in 2004, which you highlight in the second paragraph, two years before your contract with the Army under one of the two “programs of record”? In addition, you also identify these contracts on page 47 as the only “competitively bid U.S. military small UAS

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 13 of 27
      programs of record as of July 29, 2006.” Were these the only two such programs of any kind or the only two competitive programs? Please revise to clarify your disclosure or advise.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 66 and 67 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment in order to provide greater clarity with regards to the various types of contracts it has entered into with the U.S. government and how these contracts are funded.
Transactions with Officers and Directors, page 77
45.   Revise the notes to the financial statements to disclose the significant terms of the voting agreement with certain principle shareholders of the Company. Refer to the requirements outlined in paragraph 2 of SFAS No. 57.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-21 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Principal and selling stockholders, page 78
46.   By footnote or otherwise, please identify the natural persons with voting or investment control over the Taylor Family Trust. Refer to Interpretation 1.60 of Telephone Interpretation Manual (July 1997).
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 83 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Common Stock, page 80
47.   The last sentence of the first paragraph of this section, which says that all shares now outstanding and to be outstanding upon completion of this offering are fully paid and non-assessable, is a legal conclusion which you are not qualified to make. Either delete the sentence or attribute it to a law firm and file a consent in the next amendment.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 84 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Underwriting, page 86
48.   Please expand this section to disclose that the selling shareholders may be deemed to be underwriters with respect to the shares they are offering for resale.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page 90 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 14 of 27
April 30, 2006 Financial Statements, page F-1
Consolidated Statements of Income, page F-4
49.   We note from pages 34 and F-9 that you classify the gains and losses from sales and disposals of assets as a component of other income (expenses), net. Please revise to reflect these amounts as components of operating income or explain why you do not believe this is required. Refer to the guidance outlined in paragraphs 25 and 45 of SFAS No. 144 and footnote 68 to SAB Topic 13.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 5, 33, 37, 41, F-4, F-23 and F-27 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. The Company has reclassified gains and losses from sales and disposals of assets from other income to SG&A.
50.   We note from the disclosure on page 34 that you include interest income and expense in “other income and expense.” Please revise to provide separate disclosure of interest expense in your consolidated statements of operations. Refer to the requirements outlined in Rule 5-03(8) of Regulation S-X.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 5, 33, 37, 41, F-4, F-23 and F-27 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity, page F-5
51.   We note that you have repurchases of common shares, however, have no treasury stock presented. Please tell us and revise to disclose your accounting policies with regard to these repurchased shares including any plans authorizing the repurchases, any stock retired, and any stock held and how the value was determined. Also, please tell us and clarify in your financial statements whether any compensation expense was required to be recognized in connection with share repurchases. If not, please explain why.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages F-11 and F-12 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. Regarding treasury stock, as a California corporation, the Company accounts for repurchased shares according to California Corporations Code Section 510, which states: “When a corporation reacquires its own shares, those shares are restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares, unless the articles prohibit the reissuance thereof.” The Company’s articles do not prohibit such reissuance.
Research and Development, page F-11
52.   Revise to disclose the related costs of sales associated with customer funded research and development for the periods presented in your financial statements.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-12 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 15 of 27
Note 2. Inventories, net, page F-14
53.   From the schedule on page F-24, the balance of inventory reserves increased significantly in fiscal 2005. Please tell us and explain in MD&A and the notes to your financial statements the facts or circumstances responsible for the increase in inventory reserves during 2005. Also, please provide us with further details on any write-downs or impairments taken and the reasons for such actions. Additionally, revise the notes to your financial statements to disclose such transactions as necessary.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 39, F-8 and F-9 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. The Company notes that it has made no further write-downs or impairments.
Note 8. Stock Based Compensation, page F-16
54.   We note from the disclosure provided in Note 8 that the Company granted 63,000 stock options with an exercise price of $15.00 per share during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. Please tell us and explain in the notes to the Company’s financial statements and MD&A how the Company determined the fair market value of its common shares and the related exercise price of the options granted during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006. As part of your response and your revised disclosure, please address the following:
    For each option grant made during the period, please indicate the number of options granted, the exercise price, the fair value of the common stock at the date of grant, and the intrinsic value, if any, per option.
 
    Indicate the valuation method and significant assumptions used to determine the fair value of your common shares and indicate whether the valuation was based on a contemporaneous or retrospective valuation. Also, please indicate whether the valuation was performed by an independent valuation specialist or a related party.
 
    To the extent that the expected public offering price of your common shares exceeds the exercise price of options granted during the preceding twelve month period, please discuss in MD&A each significant factor contributing to a difference between the fair value of each option grant and the expected public offering price.
 
    Refer to the guidance outlined in paragraphs 179 and 182 of The AICPA Practice Aid “Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities.” We may have further comment upon review of your response and your revised disclosures.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on pages 40 and F-18 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment. AeroVironment granted options to acquire 63,000 shares of its common stock on October 20, 2005, at an exercise price of $15 per share. The Board of Directors determined the fair market value of its common stock at such time based upon two arms-length sales by third parties of 25,000 shares of its common stock, occurring

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 16 of 27
on September 1, 2005 and October 5, 2005, both of which were priced at $15 per share. The shares were sold by one of the Company’s independent directors, Dr. Murray Gell-Mann, and purchased by another of its independent directors, Arnie Fishman and by the Whiting Family Partnership, a family limited partnership of which Tim Conver, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, is a limited partner.
     In September 2006, during its second fiscal quarter, AeroVironment issued options to purchase 17,500 shares of its common stock at an exercise price of $82.98 per share, which was determined to be the fair market value of its common stock at such time, based upon a contemporaneous independent third-party valuation. AeroVironment will provide the requested disclosure with respect to these options in the amendment in which it includes its second quarter financial statements. No other options were granted during the twelve-month period prior to the expected date of the consummation of this offering.
55.   Also, please revise to include the pro forma disclosures required by paragraph 45 of SFAS No. 123 in your Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. Refer to the guidance outlined in paragraph 2e of SFAS No. 148.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-11 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.
Note 9. Income Taxes, page F-19
56.   Please tell us and explain in Note 9 the nature of the reconciling item included in the reconciliation of your statutory tax rate to your effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2004, described as “reduction of amount in excess of tax liability.” As part of your response, you should also explain why you believe it is appropriate to account for this item as a change in estimate rather than as a correction of an error.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has determined based upon a detailed review that the majority of the reductions in the tax liability consisted of research and development credits. While no errors in accounting were discovered, the disclosure presentation has been revised in footnote 9 on page F-20 of the Amendment in response to the Staff’s comment.
Note 10. Related Party Transactions, page F-20
57.   We note the disclosure indicating that the Company provided a loan to its Chief Executive Officer for $599,000 in June 2004 to facilitate the exercise of stock options. We also note that this loan was repaid during April 2005. Please tell us and revise the disclosures provided in Note 10 to indicate the number and terms of the options exercised through the issuance of this note and the significant terms of the note received from the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Your response and your revised disclosure should indicate whether this note was recourse or non-recourse and should also indicate whether variable accounting was required for the options exercised through the issuance of the note and the reasons why variable accounting was or was not required.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has revised the disclosure on page F-21 of the Amendment in accordance with the Staff’s comment.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 17 of 27
General
58.   Please update the financial statements, if necessary, as required by Rule 3-12 of Regulation S-X.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has concluded that no update to the financial statements as required by Rule 3-12 of Regulation S-X is necessary for the Amendment.
59.   An updated accountant’s consent should be included with any future amendments to your Form S-1 registration statement.
     AeroVironment Response: AeroVironment has provided an updated accountant’s consent attached as an exhibit to the Amendment.
Confidential Treatment Request
60.   We have received your confidential treatment request related to this filing and will respond to it separately.
     AeroVironment Response: Thank you.
*********************
     Any comments or questions regarding the foregoing should be directed to the undersigned at (858) 523-5407. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in connection with this matter.
         
  Very truly yours,
 
 
  /s/ Craig M. Garner    
  Craig M. Garner   
  of LATHAM & WATKINS LLP   
 
     
cc:
  Mr. Timothy Conver
 
  Michael E. Sullivan, Esq.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 18 of 27
Annex A
Statements of Belief Regarding the Company’s Small UAS and PosiCharge Products
1. On pages 1 and 50: “[W]e believe that both the small unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and fast charge markets are in the early stages of development and have significant growth potential.”
     Support: According to General Hobbins, Director of the Joint Air Power Competence Center of the Air Force, the market for UAS is expected to grow from 4% of total U.S. military funding for aircraft in 2000 to 31% of total U.S. military funding for aircraft by 2010 (Please see the attached article published at UVonline.com entitled “Unmanned Aircraft Key to Future Operations, General Says” by Captain Elizabeth Culbertson, USAF (“Annex A-1”)). The Company has also received feedback from its UAS customers, including the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command, which indicate a high degree of utility of its small UAS products. Customers’ deployment plans exceed current deployment levels, suggesting continued demand for its small UAS products. For example, the Army’s current acquisition objective is 1,900 Raven systems, of which approximately 23% had been delivered as of July 29, 2006. While the Army’s acquisition objective would deploy AeroVironment’s small UAS at the company level, the Company anticipates that future deployment may occur at the platoon level, which may suggest a larger future volume of small UAS to equip a larger number of platoons. Penetration into other branches of the U.S. military, such as the U.S. Navy and Air Force, is lower than for the Company’s U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Special Operations Command customers, but the Company believes that these branches are also likely to adopt this technology in the future. For example, the U.S. Air Force is currently in the process of selecting a micro UAV. Initial acquisitions smaller in scope by allied militaries such as France, Italy and Australia similarly suggest future adoption on a larger scale.
     The Company expects non-military applications for small UAS to grow once the Federal Aviation Administration develops a comprehensive regulatory framework for integrating them into the national airspace and as programs such as the Secure Borders Initiative, a potentially large program to limit illegal transit across U.S. borders using technology, communications and coordination, evolve. The Company also believes that as it actively seeks to educate different commercial market segments on the benefits of small UAS deployment, such as first responders, commercial demand will increase.
     Regarding the market for fast charge systems, the Company estimates that of the approximately 100,000 electric forklifts delivered in North America in 2005, only 3,000 to 5,000 of those vehicles were supported by fast charge systems. Given the financial, operational and safety benefits offered by fast charge technology, the Company expects continued market penetration and a resulting increase in the share of new electric forklifts being supported by fast charge systems.
2. On pages 1 and 50: “We believe that our small UAS capabilities, combined with our high level of service, logistical support and training, have enabled us to win both competitively bid U.S. military small UAS programs of record as of July 29, 2006.”

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 19 of 27
     On page 64: “We believe that the principal competitive factors in the markets for our products and services include product performance, features, acquisition cost, lifetime operating cost, including maintenance and support, ease of use, integration with existing equipment, quality, reliability, customer support, brand and reputation.”
     Support: Please see the attached summary (“Annex A-2”) of the set of criteria employed by the U.S. Army to evaluate the applicants for its 2005 SUAV award for which the Company was ultimately selected the winner. These criteria included technical specifications, cost to the U.S. Army, management and evaluation of past performance of the Company’s small UAS. Prior to being declared the winner of the SUAV award from the Marine Corps, the Company secured a Marine Corps award for its Dragon Eye product. Please see the attached summary (“Annex A-3”) of the set of criteria employed by the U.S. Marine Corps to evaluate the applicants for its 2003 SUAV award, which included technical specifications, cost to the U.S. Marine Corps, supportability features and evaluation of past performance of the Company’s small UAS. The Company believes that its overall small UAS offering, which includes hardware, service, training and support, enables it to deliver a compelling solution to its customers to satisfy their requirements better than the Company’s competitors.
3. On pages 2 and 56: “We believe that the increased use of our small UAS in the U.S. military will be a catalyst for increased demand by allied countries, and that our efforts to pursue new applications will help to create non-military opportunities.”
     On page 51: “While military customers represent the substantial majority of the domestic small UAS market today, we believe that new applications in intelligence, homeland/border security and local law enforcement, as well as potential commercial applications, represent significant new domestic and international growth opportunities for our small UAS solutions.”
     On page 53: “As such, we believe that small UAS will play an increasing role in transforming the U.S. military and that the armed forces of NATO and other U.S. allies represent significant growth opportunities.”
     On page 53: “We believe that potential commercial applications for small UAS include petrochemical infrastructure monitoring, natural disaster damage assessment and rescue operations, utility infrastructure inspection and aerial imaging.”
     Support: The Company believes that the utilization of small UAS among U.S. military forces may result in subsequent adoption by other NATO countries, due to joint operations and procurement programs between the U.S. military and the militaries of these other nations. For example, the United Kingdom’s military is currently borrowing the Company’s Raven systems from the U.S. Army for use in Iraq operations (Please see the article “British Forces in Iraq now have Raven UAV for Surveillance” (“Annex A-4”)). The Company believes that the U.S. military’s sharing of technology and tactics with NATO and other allied forces will increase their level of familiarity with small UAS and help to drive their acquisition of the Company’s small UAS products.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 20 of 27
     The Company has provided demonstrations of its small UAS in a variety of non-military applications, including firefighting, search and rescue, border security, and offshore oil platform inspection. In addition, the Company has provided small UAS surveillance services to a pipeline operator on a commercial basis. The Company believes that although its small UAS provide a potentially safer and more cost-effective method of delivering aerial data, it will take time to educate different market segments regarding the utility of this technology for their needs. The Company believes that its demonstrations of the commercial applications of its small UAS and initial commercial projects will help to drive increased adoption of small UAS in non-military applications over time.
     The Company expects non-military applications for small UAS to grow once the Federal Aviation Administration develops a comprehensive regulatory framework for integrating them into the national airspace and as programs such as the Secure Borders Initiative, a potentially large program to limit illegal transit across U.S. borders using technology, communications and coordination, evolve. The Company also believes that as it actively seeks to educate different commercial market segments on the benefits of small UAS deployment, such as first responders, commercial demand will increase.
5. On page 52: “We believe that UAS, which range from large systems, such as Global Hawk and Predator, to small systems, such as our Raven, are an integral part of this transforming military force because they provide critical observation and communications capabilities.”
     Support: The Company refers the Staff to a joint article by the Office of Force Transformation and the Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense, which states: “Transformation is the roadmap that will lead the U.S. to ‘...a future force that is defined less by size and more by mobility and swiftness, one that is easier to deploy and sustain, one that relies more heavily on stealth, precision weaponry, and information technologies’” (Network Centric Operations Conceptual Framework Version 2.0, a collaborative effort of John Garstka, Office of Force Transformation and David Alberts, Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense).
     A key component of the Department of Defense’s military transformation effort is the concept of Network Centric Operations, or NCO. The NCO strategy contemplates a variety of sensors and sensor platforms distributed throughout the battlefield, effectively transmitting data to necessary military personnel. The Company believes that unmanned vehicles, and unmanned aircraft systems in particular, offer a unique platform for collecting data. Their position above the battlefield affords them a valuable vantage point for gathering visual and other data to aid in activities such as target identification, battle damage assessment and force protection. Benefits specific to the utilization of small UAS include the ability to deploy them when and where needed, without a large logistics or support footprint, as well as their potential to provide data and communications relay for troops whose communications are limited by obstacles to line-of-sight systems. As an example of the perceived value of small UAS in this military transformation, the U.S. Army’s Future Combat Systems program identifies four classes of unmanned aircraft system for integration into its force structure.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 21 of 27
6. On page 53: “We believe that the U.S. military’s ongoing transformation, coupled with the nature of the threat associated with the global war on terror, will continue to be long-term drivers of the demand for small UAS.”
     Support: The Company refers the Staff to #5 in this Annex A above for a discussion of the demand for small UAS as a result of the U.S. military’s ongoing transformation.
     Regarding the global war on terror as a long-term driver for the demand for small UAS, the U.S. political and military leadership have consistently maintained that the global war on terror is a longer-term conflict that will run its course over many years. This conflict is characterized by small groups of enemy combatants operating in a clandestine fashion in urban and other areas, requiring the U.S. and allied forces to deploy small groups of highly-skilled warfighters supported by advanced technology and weapons systems to seek out and neutralize these opponents. This trend suggests that small UAS, which provide a cost-effective and flexible platform for collecting and transmitting data on a warfighter level, will continue to be utilized as important tools in this conflict.
7. On page 54: “We believe that the market for our PosiCharge fast charge systems will continue to grow as organizations that utilize electric vehicles seek to enhance their operational performance. In addition, we believe that the non-U.S. market offers significant opportunities for growth.”
     Support: The Company estimates that of the approximately 100,000 electric forklifts delivered in North America in 2005, only 3,000 to 5,000 of those vehicles were supported by fast charge systems. Given the financial, operational and safety benefits offered by fast charge technology, the Company expects continued market penetration and a resulting increase in the share of new electric forklifts being supported by fast charge systems. The Company believes that penetration of the market outside of North America is also in a relatively early stage of development.
     The Company believes that PosiCharge can increase productivity, enhance safety, reduce infrastructure cost, and liberate valuable floorspace occupied by battery changing rooms. The Company believes that as more operators of factories, distribution centers, warehouses and airport ground support equipment implement PosiCharge or other fast charge systems, awareness of the technology will continue to increase and resistance to adopting the technology, both from potential customers and entrenched distribution channel participants, will decrease, resulting in market growth.
8. On page 54: “We believe that our products provide unique capabilities that had not previously existed, perform reliably and affordably, and help our customers operate more effectively.”
     Support: Regarding the assertion that AeroVironment provided products with capabilities that had not previously existed, based upon its extensive industry knowledge and experience, the Company believes that it developed the first back-packable small UAS (Pointer, Raven) that could

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 22 of 27
be hand launched and provide real-time video and infrared, as well as the first fast charge system that could deliver charge up to 16 vehicles simultaneously from a single utility connection.
     Regarding the reliability, affordability and effectiveness of the Company’s small UAS, the fleet of Raven small UAS currently operating in Iraq have an Operational Availability, a measure of readiness for use that was developed and is managed by the Army, of above 90%, which is considered by the U.S. Army to be high. As compared to other methods of conducting reconnaissance, including sending personnel into potentially dangerous locations, the Company believes that small UAS provide an affordable solution, particularly compared to larger UAS such as Hunter, Shadow, Predator and Global Hawk. By utilizing the Company’s small UAS, military personnel are able to increase their situational awareness, thereby increasing their operating effectiveness. Furthermore, a single person using a single ground control unit and receiver/transmitter can operate the Company’s small UAS, such as Raven, whereas larger UAS typically require larger support teams and infrastructure. For example, the Predator UAS requires a support team of 55 personnel.
     Regarding the reliability, affordability and effectiveness of the Company’s PosiCharge systems, its systems have been in continuous use in customer facilities since the year 2000. Once installed, PosiCharge systems tend to operate effectively and reliably for multiple years; PosiCharge systems installed in 2000 and 2001 are still currently in service. From the Company’s experience, the most common replacement service required for PosiCharge systems is the replacement of charge cable connectors that have been damaged by operators. In terms of affordability and effectiveness, PosiCharge allows customers to increase the productivity of their lift truck drivers, reduce labor costs, re-purpose battery changing rooms for more productive activities and improve facility safety through the elimination of battery changing and its associated risk of battery acid spillage and personal injury.
9. On page 55: “We believe that, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, sales of our small UAS accounted for a significant majority of the U.S. military’s small UAS purchases.”
     Support: Based upon its extensive industry knowledge and experience, as of April 30, 2006, the Company was aware of only two active, material small UAS procurement programs in the U.S. Department of Defense. AeroVironment was the only company selected to provide small UAS to the U.S. Army, Marine Corps and SOCOM as a result of winning both of these programs. As such, the Company believes that it has a significant majority share of the U.S. military’s small UAS purchases.
10. On page 55: “We believe our work to develop these algorithms contributed to the major battery manufacturers offering battery warranties for fast charge, which provided a critical assurance to customers that fast charge systems would not harm their batteries.”
     Support: Extensive testing of motive power battery performance and lifespan with PosiCharge fast charge systems has been conducted in the Company’s advanced battery development testing laboratories, beginning in 1998 and continuing today. Battery brands from all major U.S. motive battery manufacturers have been tested, and data derived from this testing has been shared with the battery manufacturers. The Company believes that this collaborative

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 23 of 27
approach of sharing extensive test data with battery manufacturers was a key driver for the issuance of fast charge warranties for brands including Deka (2001), GNB (2001), Crown (2001) and EnerSys (2002). In the case of Deka batteries (produced by East Penn Manufacturing), the Company tested one of their batteries over several years, sending individual cells to them for analysis at three points during the test program. The Company believes that the issuance of battery warranties by the battery manufacturers for fast charge systems helped to reduce the perceived risk of implementing fast charge systems by customers, contributing to further adoption.
11. On page 56: “Moreover, while fast charge technology itself provides significant operational and financial benefits to our customers, we believe that our ability to integrate the system effectively into customer operations through installation services, asset management capabilities and post-sale support increases the value proposition. We believe that this “turnkey” approach to the fast charge market represents a potential source of competitive advantage.”
     Support: The Company’s sales offering previously consisted primarily of application engineering (determining the appropriate configuration of PosiCharge components to suit a particular customer’s needs) and system sales. Customers typically contracted an in-house or local service provider for installation. Based on its experience, the Company believes that providing installation services itself increases the probability of successful operation and use by the customer. Similarly, by supporting its customers through post-sale services (provided through a combination of employees and contracted service providers), the Company believes that this increases its customers’ success with the systems and strengthen its relationships with them, which may lead to subsequent sales to them.
     The Company’s PosiCharge systems record each charging event. By collecting this data and synthesizing it into reports, the Company can provide actionable information to its customers regarding the level of use of their individual lift trucks. This information enables customers to increase the efficiency of their fleet by tailoring maintenance and rotating assets to reduce cost and improve vehicle performance. The Company believes that this capability is a significant element of competitive differentiation. A sample of recent transactions involving the sale of installation or data services indicated an average increase in revenue per transaction of over 20%.
12. On page 60: “The product of years of research with both our own and U.S. government-sponsored development funding, we believe Global Observer to be the world’s first liquid hydrogen-powered UAS.”
     Support: Based upon its extensive industry knowledge and experience, including over 20 years of experience developing stratospheric and other unmanned aircraft, the Company is not aware of any other liquid hydrogen-powered unmanned aircraft that has flown successfully.
13. On page 61: “We believe that recent combat experience in urban environments indicates that such a capability would be of great value and could significantly improve the ability to neutralize hostile elements such as snipers, machine guns and mortar launchers.”
     Support: The U.S. military is pursuing means of shortening the “kill chain”, which refers to a six-stage plan of attack — find, fix, track, target, engage and assess. The objective is to act quickly when a target is identified to increase the probability of neutralizing that target. (See

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 24 of 27
“Compressing the Kill Chain” by Adam J. Hebert, published in Air Force Magazine Online (“Annex A-5”). Threats such as snipers, machine gunners and mortar or small rocket launchers are particularly difficult to find and tend to be highly mobile, making them difficult to track after they attack. Urban environments offer numerous places for these targets to hide. Switchblade is a development program that would provide an easy-to-launch small UAS designed to identify the location of these types of targets through its onboard video camera. The operator would view the target through a screen on the ground control unit and then activate a terminal guidance mode that would launch Switchblade at high speed toward the target. An explosive charge within Switchblade would detonate upon contact.
14. On page 61: “By maintaining assigned points of contact with our customers, we believe that we are able to enhance our relationships, service existing contracts effectively and gain vital feedback to improve our responsiveness and product offerings.”
     Support: In both its UAS and PosiCharge product lines, the Company has deployed dedicated business development and sales personnel to pursue specific prospects and manage relationships with certain customers. These individuals provide single points of contact for the Company’s customers and facilitate an up-to-date understanding of customer needs. The Company believes that the relationships between these individuals and the Company’s customers play a significant role in providing a flow of information from the customers back to AeroVironment, allowing it to continually improve its product and service offerings.
15. On page 62: “We believe that these dealers are well suited to address the large number of smaller and geographically dispersed customers with industrial vehicle fleets.”
     Support: Based upon its extensive industry knowledge and experience, the Company believes that independent battery dealers tend to focus on specific geographic areas. Their coverage areas range based on the geographic concentration of potential customers, the scope of the distributors’ sales and service operation and whether or not they have offices in multiple locations. Because these dealers are regionally-based, they are not able to support customers with extensive operations in multiple regions, states or nations, but are well-suited to identify prospective customers within their regions, sell to those customers and provide services with rapid response levels based on their geographic proximity.
16. On page 63: “As a result, we believe that we can significantly reduce the time required to move a product from its design phase to full-rate production deliveries with high reliability, quality and yields.”
     Support: The Company believes that it maintains an agile and flexible design approach that permits it to respond quickly to customer input. As a result, the Company believes that it can develop solutions to address evolving customer needs relatively quickly and efficiently. This ability is based on a number of factors, including the Company’s design and engineering approach, its strategic deployment of internal research and development funding, and its people and other resources. The Company’s design and engineering approach is based on the concept of engineering “first principles,” where the Company focuses on the issues most critical to enabling a successful result. This allows the Company to avoid spending a great deal of time and money on

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 25 of 27
related but unnecessary activities. The Company also allocates internal funding to research and development programs that it determines to be “high potential.” This enables it to begin formal contracting processes with a “head start” compared to where its competitors might be. Finally, the Company’s skilled people take a direct path to delivering rapid and effective prototypes, in part by utilizing equipment, such as its CNC machinery, to accelerate the development of tooling for new components and products. All of these factors, and others, result in the Company’s ability to respond rapidly to customer, product and market requirements.

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 26 of 27
Annex B
Statements of Comparison Regarding PosiCharge and its Competitors
1. On pages 2 and 35: “PosiCharge is able to recharge a typical electric industrial vehicle battery and return it to service up to 16 times faster than conventional charging methods.”
     Support: Although AeroVironment believes this assertion to be accurate, the Company has revised the disclosure on pages 2 and 48 of the Amendment to conform to the data available in the following documents. Please see the attached (1) study commissioned by the Electric Power Research Institute (the “EPRI Study”) (“Annex B-1”) and (2) article from BuyerZone.com entitled “Electric forklifts: clean and quiet for indoor use” (the “BuyerZone Article”) (“Annex B-2”). According to the BuyerZone Article, conventional forklift battery chargers typically require eight hours to complete a full charge. This charging process typically generates heat inside the battery, which requires another eight hours for the battery to cool down to a temperature low enough to permit installation into a forklift. According to the EPRI Study, PosiCharge can return a battery’s state of charge from 20% to 80%, while not generating the heat of a conventional forklift battery charger (and therefore not requiring a cooling period), in one to two hours. While it is true that PosiCharge is capable of restoring a battery’s state of charge in as little as one hour under optimal conditions, the Company’s experience is that a recharge time of approximately one hour and 20 minutes is more typical for the fastest charge time under real world conditions. For this reason, the Company has revised its disclosure to indicate that PosiCharge can recharge a typical industrial vehicle battery up to six times faster than a conventional charger.
2. On page 55: “PosiCharge can reduce the amount of electricity required to support electric industrial vehicles by several hundred dollars per year per vehicle as compared to conventional battery chargers.”
     Support: Please see the attached EPRI Study. The EPRI Study disclosed the results of a trial conducted by a Ford Motor Company assembly plant between August 2001 and December 2001, during which the assembly plant had installed and operated both PosiCharge fast charge systems and conventional battery charging equipment. The EPRI Study concluded that PosiCharge fast charge systems reduced electricity consumption by over $500 per electric lift truck per year, when compared to electricity consumption utilizing conventional battery charging equipment.
3. On pages 55 and 56: “[O]ther fast charge and conventional charge systems, which lack our current and voltage regulating tailored charge algorithms and monitoring capabilities, may actually contribute to lower battery performance and lifespan over time, ultimately resulting in higher battery costs and degraded vehicle performance.”
     Support: Please see the attached article by Edward P. Rafter, P.E., Tier IV Consulting Group, entitled “Why Batteries Fail Prematurely,” published in EC&M Magazine (the “EC&M Article”) (“Annex B-3”). The EC&M Article indicates that undercharging or overcharging a battery can cause it to fail prematurely, and that setting the proper charging level requires effective monitoring of the interaction between voltage and temperature. Based upon its extensive knowledge of and experience in the industry, AeroVironment believes that no other fast charge

 


 

November 2, 2006
Page 27 of 27
systems offered by competitors and no conventional charging systems have the monitoring and control capabilities comparable to those of the PosiCharge system.
4. On page 56: “PosiCharge customers typically begin to realize cost savings when compared to battery charging within the first twelve months of operation.”
     Support: AeroVironment provides potential PosiCharge customers with a financial analysis that details the expenditures and estimated cost savings over time for the PosiCharge system. AeroVironment is providing the staff a copy of such an analysis, which is attached hereto as Annex B-4. AeroVironment believes that the primary cost savings obtained using PosiCharge systems includes the productivity that is regained by eliminating the need for the vehicle operator to drive the vehicle to a dedicated area to change the battery. Additionally, PosiCharge systems typically reduce the need for battery maintenance, thereby reducing labor costs for battery maintenance personnel. AeroVironment respectfully requests that the staff return Annex B-4 when it has finished its review.
5. On page 59: PosiCharge DVS “is designed to deliver lower up-front installation and ongoing utility costs when compared to other single vehicle fast chargers.”
     Support: Please see the attached data sheet for PosiCharge DVS, which is attached hereto as Annex B-5. PosiCharge DVS draws electricity from a single utility connection, which it then converts and routes to charge two vehicles simultaneously. Because of the costs associated with the installation of any battery charger into a building’s electrical system, DVS offers lower total installation costs to support two vehicles than would be the case if two single vehicle fast chargers were each installed. Additionally, by employing more efficient power management components than some other fast charge systems, DVS can more efficiently transfer electricity into the battery, resulting in less electricity loss and, potentially, lower utility cost.
6. On page 59: PosiCharge MVS “is designed to deliver greater cost-savings as the number of vehicles simultaneously charged increases, as compared to competitive charging systems, which are currently capable of charging only up to eight vehicles at the same time.”
     Support Please see the attached data sheet for PosiCharge MVS, which is attached hereto as Annex B-6. PosiCharge MVS draws electricity from a single utility connection, which it then converts and routes to charge up to 16 vehicles simultaneously. Because of the costs associated with the installation of any battery charger into a building’s electrical system, MVS offers lower total installation costs to support 16 vehicles than would be the case if two eight-vehicle fast chargers were each installed. Additionally, by employing more efficient power management components than some other fast charge systems, MVS can more efficiently transfer electricity into the battery, resulting in less electricity loss and, potentially, lower utility cost.

 

cover
 




(LATHAM AND WATKINS LLP)
12636 High Bluff Drive, Suite 400
San Diego, California 92130-2071
Tel: (858) 523-5400 Fax: (858) 523-5450
www.lw.com

FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES
     
Brussels
  New York
Chicago
  Northern Virginia
Frankfurt
  Orange County
Hamburg
  Paris
Hong Kong
  San Diego
London
  San Francisco
Los Angeles
  Shanghai
Milan
  Silicon Valley
Moscow
  Singapore
Munich
  Tokyo
New Jersey
  Washington, State D.C.


November 2, 2006



VIA EDGAR
Max A. Webb
Assistant Director
Division of Corporation Finance
Securities and Exchange Commission
100 F Street, N.E., Mail Stop 3561
Washington, D.C. 20549
         
 
  Re:   AeroVironment, Inc.
 
      Registration Statement on Form S-1
 
      Filed September 28, 2006
 
      File No. 333-137658
Dear Mr. Webb:
     Simultaneously with the filing of this letter, AeroVironment, Inc. is submitting (by EDGAR) Amendment No. 1 to its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the “Amendment”). Courtesy copies of this letter and the Amendment (specifically marked to show the changes thereto) are being submitted to the Staff by hand delivery.
     Any comments or questions regarding the Amendment should be directed to the undersigned at (858) 523-3959. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in connection with this matter.
         
  Very truly yours,
 
 
  /s/ MICHAEL SULLIVAN    
  Michael Sullivan   
     
 
     
cc:
  Craig M. Garner, Esq., Latham & Watkins LLP
 
  Stuart L. Hindle, AeroVironment, Inc.