Leonardo da Vinci sketched a parachute in 1485 for a controlled descent. His drawing shows a pyramid-shaped wooden frame covered with linen, intended to slow a person's fall from a height.
Leonardo described the structure as about 12 braccia wide and 12 braccia deep, with enough height for a person to stand inside. The exact length of a braccio varied, but the design was far larger than many modern recreational parachutes. It relied on air resistance rather than a fabric canopy packed into a container.
Leonardo did not build the parachute, and there is no evidence that he tested it. A modern reproduction by Adrian Nicholas descended successfully in 2000, although it was released from a hot-air balloon and replaced before landing because the rigid frame could be dangerous. Leonardo's sketch is therefore an early parachute concept, not a documented working aircraft.