Leonardo da Vinci designed a pyramid-shaped parachute as an emergency flight device.
In a manuscript note from about 1485, Leonardo described a pyramid-shaped frame covered with linen that he believed could allow a person to descend safely from a great height. His stated dimensions were approximately 12 braccia wide and 12 braccia deep, with the same height.
The concept was based on air resistance: a broad canopy would slow a falling person. Leonardo did not demonstrate the device, and the materials and construction details in his note leave room for interpretation. Modern parachutes use flexible fabric canopies and suspension lines rather than a rigid pyramid.
In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nichols tested a reconstruction based on Leonardo’s design. It descended successfully, although Nichols used a modern parachute for the final landing because the rigid structure could be dangerous near the ground. The test showed that the basic aerodynamic idea was plausible.