MASHINIi

AeroVironment, Inc..

AVAV.US | Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery

AeroVironment, Inc. is a technology solutions provider specializing in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), tactical missile systems, and related services. The company designs, develops, produces, supports, and operates UAS and tactical missile systems primarily for defense, government, and commercial a...Show More

Ethical Profile

Mixed.

AeroVironment, a defense technology provider, faced a $1,000,000 civil penalty for alleged Arms Export Control Act and ITAR violations between 2014-2016. Critics point to its core business in military UAS and tactical missile systems as fundamentally conflicting with "No War, No Weapons" values. While certified a 'Great Place to Work' in 2022 and 2023, the 2024 CEO median pay ratio was 67:1, and past issues include employment discrimination (2012) and workplace safety violations (2007, 2022). AeroVironment demonstrates strong cybersecurity with zero data breaches in FY24, 100% employee training, CMMC L2 certification, and compliance with GDPR, CCPA, NIST SP 800-171. A $925 million acquisition of cybersecurity firm BlueHalo further highlights this. Specific details on AI ethics oversight and algorithmic transparency are not publicly available.

Value Scores

Better Health for All-10
-100100
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity0
-100100
Fair Pay & Worker Respect0
-100100
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing0
-100100
Honest & Fair Business10
-100100
Kind to Animals0
-100100
No War, No Weapons0
-100100
Planet-Friendly Business0
-100100
Respect for Cultures & Communities0
-100100
Safe & Smart Tech10
-100100
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products-30
-100100

Better Health for All

-10

AeroVironment's principal goods and services are multi-domain robotic systems and tactical missile systems, primarily for defense and government applications.

1
These products, such as Switchblade loitering munitions, are designed for warfare, providing 'precision strike capabilities' and 'greater lethality against fortified targets.'
2
While the company states its products aim to reduce collateral damage and enhance operator safety,
3
their core function is to be used in conflict, which inherently causes severe, widespread health damage (injury, illness, fatalities). The company's primary revenue is derived from these defense technologies,
4
with no evidence of health-positive offerings to offset this impact. The company's internal employee benefit plans offer various health-related coverages, including medical, mental health, and preventative care,
5
but these are not its core business offerings or products/services for the public. The company does not offer health-related products or services to the public, nor does it engage in health education or clinical trials.
6
Therefore, many KPIs are not applicable.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

0

AeroVironment, Inc. is a technology solutions provider specializing in unmanned aircraft systems and tactical missile systems, primarily for defense and government.

1
The company does not offer lending, insurance, or deposit services to consumers.
2
Therefore, all KPIs related to consumer financial products, pricing, fees, lending compliance, and debt burden are not applicable. While the company has diversity and inclusion initiatives, supplier diversity programs, and employee benefits, these do not fall under the scope of financial services for external customers as defined by the value 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity'.
3

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

0

AeroVironment's CEO median pay ratio for 2024 is 67:1, based on the CEO's pay of $7,602,053 and a median employee pay of $112,898.

1
Employee engagement surveys from 2019 indicated that 70% of employees reported a consistently positive experience, and over 85% expressed pride in their work.
2
The company was certified as a "Great Place to Work" in 2022 and 2023.
3
Regarding labor violations, the company has one substantiated workplace safety or health violation in 2022 and one employment discrimination violation in 2012.
4
Considering the past three years, there is one workplace safety violation in 2022.
5

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

0

No evidence available to assess AeroVironment, Inc. on Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing.

Honest & Fair Business

10

AeroVironment reported no monetary losses from legal proceedings related to corruption, bribery, illicit international trade, or product safety in fiscal years 2024 and 2025.

1
The company operates a third-party ethics and compliance hotline, available 24/7 for anonymous reporting, and explicitly prohibits retaliation against whistleblowers.
2
The Audit Committee Charter outlines procedures for the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints, including confidential, anonymous submissions and investigations, with periodic reporting to the Board.
3
The company has not reported any financial restatements in the past five years.
4
The average resolution time for customer service complaints was 16 days in fiscal year 2025.
5
At the end of fiscal year 2025, seven out of eight board members were independent.
6
AeroVironment has a stand-alone Anti-Corruption Policy that reinforces its Code of Conduct, prohibiting bribery and kickbacks, establishing guidelines for gifts and hospitality, and requiring Legal Department review for international charitable contributions.
7
However, the company states that the information in its CSR report has not been subject to third-party or other independent verification as it continues to develop its ESG program.
8

Kind to Animals

0

AeroVironment, Inc. is a technology solutions provider specializing in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. The provided articles do not contain specific, concrete data points regarding the company's direct involvement in animal testing, animal agriculture, or the sourcing of animal-derived products. While some articles mention the general use of drones in wildlife conservation and the broader industry trend towards animal-free testing methods, there is no evidence linking AeroVironment's own operations, policies, or investments to these specific animal welfare KPIs. Therefore, no KPIs can be scored based on the provided evidence.

No War, No Weapons

0

No evidence available to assess AeroVironment, Inc. on No War, No Weapons.

Planet-Friendly Business

0

The provided articles indicate that AeroVironment (AVAV.US) has a stated commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ESG goals, as mentioned in their 2024 CSR Report.

1
They have established a cross-functional internal team to advance ESG goals and initiated an e-waste recycling program.
2
However, the articles explicitly state a lack of specific quantitative data, metrics, or detailed outcomes for any of the planet-friendly business KPIs, such as carbon emissions, renewable energy usage, water consumption, waste diversion rates, or climate targets.
3
While ISO 14001 certification at 66% of facilities is mentioned, this is an environmental management system certification and not a green building certification (like LEED or BREEAM) as specified by the rubric.
4
Therefore, no KPIs can be scored based on the provided evidence.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

0

No specific, quantifiable data points were found in the provided articles to assess AeroVironment, Inc. against any of the KPIs for 'Respect for Cultures & Communities'. The articles primarily discuss job postings, salary ranges

1
, general industry position statements on indigenous peoples' rights
2
, or academic analyses of international biodiversity regulations
3
, none of which provide company-specific metrics on community engagement, cultural preservation, or related practices for AVAV.US.

Safe & Smart Tech

10

AeroVironment reported zero data breaches in both fiscal year 2023 and 2024.

1
The company holds Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0 (CMMC L2) and ISO-9001:2015 quality management system certification at five locations.
2
For employee training, 100% of employees completed cybersecurity training in FY24, averaging 7 hours per employee, and 99.6% completed annual trade compliance training in May 2024.
3
Some products utilize AES-256-bit encryption.
4
The company mentions regular penetration testing for vulnerability management.
5
AeroVironment states compliance with GDPR and CCPA.
6
The company formed a Cybersecurity Committee in FY24 and acquired BlueHalo, a cybersecurity firm, for $925 million.
7

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

-30

AeroVironment integrates circular design principles by using a modular, open-system approach (MOSA) in equipment design, which allows customers to extend product lifespan through upgrades and payload swaps.

1
The company has multiple waste reduction initiatives, including piloting food waste composting at one location, diverting batteries, lightbulbs, and coolants from waste streams, operating e-waste recycling programs in California, and leveraging Lean Six Sigma for process efficiency and waste reduction.
2
Hazardous waste is managed through mandatory employee training, weekly inspections to confirm proper storage and labeling, and adherence to Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPA) hazardous waste permits.
3
The MOSA design also enhances product durability by enabling equipment lifespan extension.
4
Waste audits are routinely conducted for all facilities in line with various waste programs, including weekly inspections for hazardous waste.
5
The company reported zero reportable spills in fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
6
All suppliers are required to have an environmental policy that is compliant with ISO 14001 environmental management requirements.
7

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AI-generated analysis based on publicly available data. Not financial advice. Ratings are expressions of opinion derived from automated models and may contain inaccuracies. See our Risk Disclosure for full details.