Leonardo da Vinci designed a pyramid-shaped parachute in the late 15th century.
His sketch shows a rigid-looking pyramidal frame covered with linen cloth. Leonardo wrote that a person could jump from a great height while protected by a structure about 12 braccia wide and 12 braccia deep. The braccio was a historical Italian unit whose exact length varied by region.
Leonardo did not build or test the parachute. In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nichols constructed a modified version and successfully tested it, although he eventually cut away from it near the ground because it was difficult to steer and land safely.
The design is sometimes called the first parachute concept, but it was not an operational parachute in Leonardo’s lifetime. Modern parachutes use flexible canopies and suspension lines rather than a rigid pyramid.