What parachute design did Leonardo da Vinci describe in 1485 with a pyramidal linen canopy?

Leonardo da Vinci described a pyramidal parachute with a linen canopy in 1485.

His sketch shows a rigid pyramid-shaped frame covered by a tightly woven cloth. Leonardo wrote that a person could jump from a great height while protected by the device. The concept used air resistance to slow descent, applying the same physical principle as later parachutes but with a very different shape.

The design was not tested during Leonardo’s lifetime, and the historical record does not show that he constructed a working version. In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nicholas built and tested a full-scale replica. It descended successfully, although he used a modern parachute as a safety measure during the experiment.

Leonardo’s design is often described as the first parachute concept, but earlier cultures used falling devices and legends of parachute-like jumps exist. Its importance is that Leonardo gave the idea a detailed engineering drawing and a specific structural form.