Leonardo da Vinci sketched a cone-shaped parachute as an emergency device for a controlled descent.
In the Codex Atlanticus, Leonardo described a pyramidal or tent-like structure made from linen and supported by poles. His notes gave it approximate dimensions of 12 braccia across and 12 braccia in height. A braccio was a historical Italian unit whose exact length varied, so modern conversions are estimates.
The design was intended to let a person descend from a great height without injury. Leonardo did not record a test of the device, and it was not a practical parachute in the modern sense. The idea is nevertheless recognized as an early parachute concept because it used air resistance beneath a canopy to slow a fall.
The first recorded successful parachute jump is generally associated with André-Jacques Garnerin in 1797. Leonardo’s sketch predates that event by about two centuries and is often mistakenly described as a proven working invention.