Leonardo da Vinci described a pyramid-shaped parachute as an emergency device for descending safely from a height.
He recorded the design in the Codex Atlanticus around 1485. The proposed parachute had a wooden frame and linen covering, forming a pyramid roughly seven metres high and seven metres wide at its base.
Leonardo’s idea depended on air resistance. A broad canopy would oppose a falling person’s motion and reduce the speed of descent. The design was never tested by Leonardo, and modern safety standards would not support using the original version without careful engineering.
In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nichols built and tested a replica, descending with a modern backup parachute. The experiment showed that the broad concept could work, although the replica was cut loose before landing because it was difficult to control near the ground.