The Avro 500 was a British biplane aircraft developed by A.V. Roe and Company (later known as Avro) during World War I. It was primarily used for reconnaissance and artillery spotting, and was operated by both the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).

The Avro 500 first entered service in 1914, and was an improvement over earlier Avro designs such as the Avro 504. It featured a wooden frame and was powered by a 100-horsepower Gnome rotary engine, which gave it a top speed of around 75 mph (121 km/h).

The aircraft was armed with a single .303 inch (7.7 mm) Lewis machine gun mounted on the rear cockpit, and was also capable of carrying up to 112 lb (51 kg) of bombs or other equipment. Its primary role was as a reconnaissance and observation aircraft, and it was well-suited for this task due to its stability, endurance, and the excellent visibility afforded by its open cockpit design.

A total of around 1,000 Avro 500 aircraft were built, with production continuing until 1918. The aircraft played an important role in the early years of World War I, and were used extensively for reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions over the Western Front. In addition to its military role, the Avro 500 was also used for civilian purposes such as aerial photography and mail delivery.