[LeifCarrotson]

Consider a helicopter nearly hovering, but moving forward at a walking pace.

To maintain the hover and prevent the helicopter from falling out of the sky, the engines are consuming large amounts of power. To move it forward at a sedate pace only requires a small expenditure of energy to overcome drag.

If it was on wheels, a human could push it across a hangar with little effort. A human definitely could not hold a conventional helicopter in the air by lifting or by pedaling to turn the rotors.

The reactive force lifting the helicopter should not be thought of as drag.