I’ve just learned that quadcopters / drones are so popular now that there is a massive DiY industry surrounding them. I shouldn’t be surprised…but dang!
anyhow, I’m looking for info on good / solid but affordable options for a beginner and his uncoordinated 7 year old grandson.
there are a bazillion options from China under $50…but I don’t want to spend that kinda change for something that is essentially throw away. I mean…if there is a $50 option from an established brand that you can buy replaceable parts and extra batteries and such, I’m game…but I haven’t seen anything like that. 
don’t need anything fancy like camera (maybe that will come later), just tough / hardy and perhaps recall / one-touch-landing or whatever drones version of SAFE is.
Tomzon A31
Inexpensive, beginner drone. Probably close to what you want and a good YT channel to get some reviews of smaller cheaper drones.
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appears the brand TOMZON is not available in Canada. 
Well check out the YT channel, he has a lot of good drones for starting out with. Hopefully at least 1 is available in Canada.
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well…upon review of TOMZON, I do not like the fact that everything is proprietary. that’s a definite no / out.
Unless you do a DIY most of the time the propellers are going to be proprietary.
Also for a mini sized drone most of the batteries are made for the model. I recommended a mini since you said it was for a beginner and having a smaller and lighter drone is a good way to learn how to fly it and also to see if you like flying it. Heavier and bigger drones can do damage if they hit people and things.
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oh yes…I don’t want a big fancy drone with a camera or anything…at least not yet as I’m more interested in fixed wing RC and reading into Flite Test DiY platform.
there is a Chinese brand called JJRC and I really like the idea of the H36s…it converts the quadcopter into a hovercraft as well as a VTOL glider wing:
https://www.jjrc.com/goodshow/h36s-3-in-1-water-ground-air-transformable-drone.html
I just pinged them with an email asking about extra props and batteries.
That looks really interesting, let me know what you hear from them.
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