Leonardo da Vinci designed an early parachute with a pyramid-shaped linen canopy.
Leonardo described the device in a manuscript entry dated around 1485. His design used a large cloth canopy held open by a rigid wooden framework. He wrote that a person could jump safely from a great height while carrying the structure, although he did not record a demonstrated test.
The design is often called a parachute because its purpose matches that of later parachutes: slowing a fall by creating air resistance. It differs substantially from modern parachutes, which use flexible canopies, suspension lines, and harnesses. Leonardo’s version was heavy and rigid, so its practical behavior would not be identical to that of present-day equipment.
In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nicholas built and tested a replica based on Leonardo’s description. He reported that it descended successfully, then changed to a modern parachute at a lower altitude because the replica was difficult to control. Leonardo’s sketch therefore represents an important early parachute concept, not a proven medieval safety device.