Leonardo da Vinci designed a pyramid-shaped parachute for a person jumping from a height.
In a manuscript from around 1485, he described a linen canopy supported by poles and sealed with a frame. His notes proposed dimensions of about 12 braccia on each side and 12 braccia in height, creating a large drag-producing surface.
The principle was straightforward: air resistance beneath the canopy would slow a falling person. Leonardo did not record a test, and there is no evidence that he built or used the device. Centuries later, practical parachutes developed through different experiments and materials.
The design is often described as the first engineered parachute concept, but it was not the first known idea of slowing a fall with a canopy. Its historical importance lies in Leonardo’s detailed attempt to analyze size, structure, and descent.