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Gregg Early focuses on finding long-term growth opportunities among companies that specialize in niche, advanced technologies.

In his The Real Nanotech Investor, he looks to AeroVironment (NSDQ: AVAV) - which is involved in innovative ventures in both wind power and unmanned vehicles - as his favorite investment idea for the coming year.

"Two things make AeroVironment a unique company: its story and its stock price during the past year.

"The company has four divisions that by themselves seem very incongruous for moving the whole forward. It has a division that makes some of the most highly lauded and in-demand micro-unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in service today.

"It also has a clean energy systems division that's best known for its 'architectural wind' turbines for urban settings, that are installed on manufacturing plants as well as office and apartment buildings.

"Its latter two division are the congruent in direction: one builds electric vehicle (EV) supply systems and the other supplies EV test systems.

"The company was founded by Dr. Paul MacCready, one of the world's most innovative aerospace thinkers of the late 20th century. And he built a compay from his multi-faceted interests and talents.

"He built the Gossamer Coondor (the first human powered aircraft), the Gossamer Albatross, the Solar Challenger almost three decades ago; he built the Sunraycer two decades ago -- all of them are housed at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

"His solar and aerospace experiences moved him into the EV charging and testing sectors and the company has integrated his overarching concepts into AeroVironment's strategic model.

"The company has decades of experience working with strategic partners like GM, Toyota, NASA and the US Air Force.

"It's not surprise then that with divisions focusing on cutting edge military ISR, alternative energy generation and smart grid and EV enabling that the stock was up, yes, up almost 40% in 2008. And the next year promises to be even bigger. Buy AeroVironment under 38."