Leonardo da Vinci described a parachute in a 1485 notebook as a pyramid-shaped linen canopy. His design was intended to let a person descend safely from a height.
The proposed canopy was supported by poles and measured about 7 metres across and 7 metres high. Leonardo reasoned that the trapped air beneath the fabric would slow a fall, although he did not record a practical test of the design.
The sketch is important because it shows Leonardo applying observation and geometry to controlled human flight centuries before parachutes became usable. It is sometimes confused with his flying-machine designs, which were intended to generate lift rather than slow descent.
Modern parachutes use flexible canopies, suspension lines and harnesses, so they differ greatly in construction. Leonardo’s concept nevertheless captured the central principle: increasing air resistance reduces falling speed.