Maui Video Drone Pilot Says “Government Officials” Shut Down Drone During Flight Over Suspected Fire Origin Zone: Report

A licensed drone operator in Maui says his drone was grounded and he was visited by “government officials” because he flew his drone over the suspected origin site of the massive fire that ravaged Lahaina, Maui, killing over 100 and leaving around 1000 people unaccounted for, including many children.

This is one more incident of government secrecy that has caused great concern by residents.

The claim by Lahaina resident Davin Phelps was reported on X-Twitter by Fox & Friends Weekends co-host Will Cain. Cain owns property on Maui and was one of the first to report from Maui on the fires.

Cain posted, “I don’t want to feed ridiculous conspiracies but all I can do is tell you the truth. I just spoke to a videographer from Lahaina. Davin Phelps. He’s a licensed drone pilot. He’s been flying over Lahaina for the past week. And he has stunning and haunting images of Lahaina…Davin says he was hired by an attorney to fly his drone over the suspected area where the fire started. There is a no fly zone over Lahaina. But as you can see from the footage that hasn’t stopped him from getting images of Lahaina Town. But it was a different experience at the fires origin…Apparently licensed drone pilots fly through an app coordinated with the FAA. That app can deny you permission to fly and remotely ground your drone. It’s very rare. But when Phelps got to the suspected fire origin area he was denied flight and grounded. Then he says two government officials (he doesn’t remember what agency) quickly visited him, asking for his license, and ran him off the Lahaina Intermediate School parking lot where he attempted to launch. So why the secrecy in this area? Liability? Accountability? Why no clarity on the origins and cause of the fire?”

I don’t want to feed ridiculous conspiracies but all I can do is tell you the truth. I just spoke to a videographer from Lahaina. Davin Phelps. He’s a licensed drone pilot. He’s been flying over Lahaina for the past week. And he has stunning and haunting images of Lahaina. pic.twitter.com/zPNa6JEVt0

— Will Cain (@willcain) August 22, 2023

Apparently licensed drone pilots fly through an app coordinated with the FAA. That app can deny you permission to fly and remotely ground your drone. It’s very rare. But when Phelps got to the suspected fire origin area he was denied flight and grounded.

Then he says two…

— Will Cain (@willcain) August 22, 2023

The images were taken from Phelps’ Instagram page

Phelps’ professional film site can viewed at this link.

“Aloha! My name is Davin Phelps, I am a professional Filmmaker and Photographer based on the island of Maui. I’ve been working professionally for over 10 years now and in 2015 I assembled a team of talented Photographers, Videographers, and Drone Pilots so that together we can provide any and everything our clients may need big or small. Together we form a team of creative and personable media makers that can capture stunning photos and video for any event or project! We specialize in Commercial Advertising, Real Estate Marketing, and Family Portraits.”

Phelps is also a musician and comedian. He posted a video during during COVID expressing the frustrations many had being locked down that featured his very understanding wife and kids:

#DarkestTimeline @joelmchale @kenjeong We started a family band to pass the time and wrote a song for your podcast. This is my first tweet, am I doing this right? pic.twitter.com/za0mTpvN4Y

— Davin Phelps (@davin_phelps) March 27, 2020

Phelps’ photos from a 2020 fire on Maui:

Close up view of brush fire on Maui early this morning between Kahului and Lahaina — Maui County now says about 500 acres have been burned (pics: Davin Phelps) #HIWX #Hawaii #Fire @KITV4 pic.twitter.com/mFGLeosmCo

— Tom George (@TheTomGeorge) December 27, 2020

Phelps films surfers in Hawaii:

Happy #LeapDay!
(video: davin phelps) #welcometowater pic.twitter.com/3HvIHPpXVR

— Volcom Stone (@Volcom) February 29, 2016

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reported Tuesday on the refusal by officials to give information on the hundreds of missing:

Details are still not available on people missing in Lahaina via @staradvertiser https://t.co/5lbPuQLaBL

— Kristinn Taylor (@KristinnFR) August 22, 2023

Lots of black fencing being erected in Lahaina:

Homeland Security, Secret Service, The National Guard and every federal aid agency and billionaire NGO are all present on the tiny island of Maui yet people are still left stranded while these “aid” entities and law enforcement agencies prioritize erecting miles of blackout… pic.twitter.com/nGf4Wc6HNu

— Jeremy Loffredo (@loffredojeremy) August 21, 2023

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