What did Leonardo da Vinci’s 1485 pyramid-shaped design propose people could do safely?

Leonardo da Vinci’s 1485 pyramid-shaped design proposed safe parachute descent.

Leonardo described a large linen canopy held open by a pyramid-shaped wooden framework. His notes suggested that a person could jump from a great height while suspended beneath it. The design appears in the Codex Atlanticus and is usually dated to around 1485.

The drawing is important because it shows a workable understanding of drag: a broad canopy would oppose falling motion and slow a person’s descent. However, Leonardo did not document a test, and the materials and rigid frame would have made the device heavy and potentially dangerous.

This design is often called Leonardo’s parachute, although parachutes were not built and tested successfully until centuries later. In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nicholas constructed and tested a replica, then descended with a modern parachute for safety during the experiment.