A Kickstarter campaign has been launched to fund a drone racing centre for the US city of Portland.

Entrepreneur Toby Johnson is trying to raise US$10,000 (€8,900, £6,800) by late March to develop a design for a facility that “may one day host the Drone Racing World Cup.”

First person view (FPV) drone racing is a relatively new sport where competitors fly miniature, camera-mounted multi-rotor drones as if they were sitting in the cockpit. Pilots race their machines at high speed around corners and obstacles by looking at a monitor or through immersive FPV goggles.

Johnson wants to build his track – which will host day and night racing – as an extension to a recreational skate park, high school football field and BMX bike track on the city’s NE 82nd Avenue.

“In Portland, drone racing is already starting to take off, but I believe it's still in its infancy,” said Johnson. “People who race drones right now are truly the pioneers of a new sport. They will be the ones who will define what FPV drone racing becomes.”

Johnson said if he meets his Kickstarter target, the money will fund the creation of a graphic design, architectural model, investor portfolio and a marketing strategy to “launch a much bigger campaign that can make this idea become a reality.”

“This is only the beginning of a long journey,” he said. “What I’m doing right now is nothing compared to what drone racing will eventually become years down the road.”

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