Leonardo da Vinci’s parachute invention is regarded as an early parachute design.
Leonardo drew the concept around 1485 in the Codex Atlanticus. His design used a sealed, pyramid-shaped linen canopy supported by wooden poles. The drawing was accompanied by a claim that a person could descend safely from a great height with such a structure.
Leonardo’s parachute was never documented as having been built or tested in his lifetime. It was a theoretical design based on his observations of air resistance and falling bodies. The rigid frame distinguishes it from the flexible fabric parachutes used today.
Modern experiments have tested reconstructions of the design. These demonstrations show that the concept can slow a descent, although its handling and weight differ greatly from modern parachutes. Leonardo’s work is therefore best described as an early parachute concept, not the first operational parachute.