Leonardo da Vinci described a parachute in a 1485 note in the Codex Atlanticus.
His design used a rigid pyramid-shaped wooden frame about 7.2 metres wide and tall, covered with linen. Leonardo wrote that a person could jump from a great height and land safely with such a structure, provided the fabric was tightly sealed. The design is usually presented as an early parachute concept rather than a tested working machine.
The idea appeared in Leonardo’s studies of flight, falling bodies, air resistance, and human movement. It should not be confused with his ornithopter sketches, which attempted to imitate flapping bird wings. Modern parachutes use flexible canopies, suspension lines, and harnesses, so Leonardo’s pyramid frame was very different from today’s equipment.
In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nichols built and tested a large replica based on Leonardo’s description. It descended successfully, although Nichols opened a conventional parachute afterward because the rigid replica could not be steered safely near the ground.