Leonardo da Vinci described a pyramid-shaped parachute in his notebooks.
In a passage usually dated to around 1485, Leonardo proposed a canopy made from linen held open by a wooden framework. He wrote that a person could descend from a great height with the device, provided the canopy was sufficiently broad and deep. The design has four triangular sides, giving it a pyramidal form.
Leonardo did not leave evidence that he tested the parachute. Its historical importance lies in the clear understanding that a large canopy could create drag and slow a fall. Modern parachutes use flexible fabric, suspension lines, and harnesses rather than a rigid pyramid.
In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nicholas made a replica and reported a successful descent, although he used a modern parachute for the final landing. This experiment demonstrated the design’s plausibility but was not a direct Renaissance test.