Leonardo’s parachute is the common name for his pyramid-shaped canopy design, described in the Codex Atlanticus around 1485. Leonardo proposed a linen canopy supported by a wooden frame, intended to let a person descend safely from a height.
His note described a structure about 12 braccia wide and 12 braccia deep, with a height of 12 braccia. A braccio was a historical Italian unit whose exact length varied, so modern conversions are approximate. The design had no steering system and was not a modern round parachute.
Leonardo reasoned that a person could jump from a great height while enclosed by the canopy without being injured. Centuries later, practical parachutes used different shapes and flexible fabric. In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nicholas built and tested a replica, reporting that it descended successfully but was too difficult to control for a normal jump.
The drawing is significant because it shows Leonardo applying geometry and air resistance to a problem later solved through experimental aviation.