Leonardo da Vinci’s parachute design used a pyramidal linen canopy to allow a person to descend safely from a height.
Leonardo sketched the concept around 1485 in the Codex Atlanticus. His drawing shows a rigid, pyramid-shaped framework covered with linen, suspended from ropes. He reasoned that the structure would create enough air resistance to slow a falling person.
The design was far more substantial than a modern parachute. Leonardo proposed a canopy about 7.2 metres high and wide, although the exact dimensions are reconstructed from his notes and drawing. The rigid frame also made it difficult to pack or deploy like a modern parachute.
A successful full-scale reconstruction was tested in 2000 by Adrian Nichols, who descended from a balloon using a replica. It worked aerodynamically, though Nichols used a modern backup system because the wooden frame could be dangerous on landing.