What did Leonardo da Vinci design in 1485 that is often called an early parachute?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a pyramidal parachute in 1485, making “pyramidal parachute” the answer.

His drawing shows a linen canopy stretched over a rigid wooden pyramid-like frame. Leonardo proposed that a person could descend safely from a great height, although there is no evidence that he or anyone else tested the design during his lifetime. The idea appears in the Codex Atlanticus, one of his large collections of notes and drawings.

The design is often described as an early parachute rather than the first modern parachute. Modern parachutes use flexible canopies, suspension lines, and harnesses, while Leonardo’s concept depended on a substantial frame. In 2000, Adrian Nichols built and tested a replica based on Leonardo’s dimensions; it reportedly produced a controlled descent, though it was considered too unstable to land safely. Leonardo’s design therefore illustrates his ability to reason about air resistance centuries before practical parachuting developed.