Leonardo da Vinci sketched a parachute as a cone-shaped canopy for falling safely.
Around 1485, Leonardo described a pyramid-shaped linen canopy supported by poles. He suggested that a person could jump from a great height while the structure slowed the descent. The design is based on drag: a broad surface moving through air experiences resistance that reduces the rate of fall.
Leonardo did not test the parachute, and its exact performance is debated because the original proposal lacks the detailed harness and venting features of modern parachutes. In 2000, Adrian Nicholas built and tested a version of the design. The experiment showed that the concept could generate substantial drag, though modern parachutes use different shapes and materials.