Leonardo da Vinci sketched a pyramidal parachute as a device for descending from heights.
His design appears in the Codex Atlanticus and consists of a rigid, pyramid-shaped wooden frame covered with linen. Leonardo estimated that a person could jump safely from a substantial height using the structure, although he did not record a documented test.
The design is often called an early parachute concept, but it was not the first practical parachute. Modern parachutes use flexible canopies, suspension lines, and harnesses, while Leonardo’s drawing shows a large framed canopy. In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nicholas built and tested a replica, reporting that it worked but was difficult to control.
Leonardo’s parachute belonged to his broader study of air resistance and flight. It should not be confused with his ornithopter sketches, which attempted to imitate the flapping motion of birds.