What did Leonardo da Vinci’s pyramid-canopy flying design anticipate?

Leonardo da Vinci’s pyramid-canopy flying design anticipated the parachute.

Leonardo sketched the design in the Codex Atlanticus, probably around 1485. It uses a rigid, pyramid-shaped frame covered with linen and suspended by ropes. The purpose was to let a person descend safely from a height, using air resistance to slow the fall.

The drawing is an early parachute concept, not a documented working parachute. Leonardo did not record a successful test, and the materials and construction details would have made the original design difficult to use safely. Modern parachutes generally use flexible canopies that inflate into aerodynamic shapes.

A common mix-up is calling the design a helicopter or flying machine. Leonardo’s aerial screw was a separate rotary-wing concept, while the pyramid canopy was intended for descent rather than powered ascent.