Leonardo da Vinci designed a parachute using a pyramid-shaped linen canopy to slow a person's fall.
Leonardo recorded the design in the Codex Atlanticus, a large collection of his drawings and notes. His proposed canopy was supported by a wooden frame and covered with linen. The design was intended to create enough air resistance for a person to descend safely from a height.
Leonardo did not build and test the parachute, so it was a theoretical invention rather than a proven flight device. Modern recreations have shown that the concept can work, although the original rigid frame would have been cumbersome. The design is often confused with Leonardo's separate studies of flying machines, which attempted to imitate bird flight.