What name is commonly given to Leonardo da Vinci’s 1485 design for a pyramid-shaped parachute?

Leonardo da Vinci’s 1485 pyramid-shaped design is commonly known as Leonardo’s parachute.

Leonardo sketched the design in the Codex Atlanticus. It consists of a rigid-looking pyramidal frame covered with cloth, measuring about 7.2 metres high and 7.2 metres wide at the base. His notes suggested that a person could descend safely from a great height using the device.

The design predates the first documented successful parachute descent by more than three centuries. In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nicholas built and tested a full-scale version based on Leonardo’s drawing. It descended successfully, although Nicholas eventually released himself and used a modern parachute because of concerns about landing safely.

Leonardo’s design is not the same as the round parachutes used today. It has a broad square base and a pyramidal canopy. The drawing is nevertheless an important early attempt to apply air resistance and controlled descent to human flight.