What type of parachute did Leonardo da Vinci describe using a pyramid-shaped wooden frame?

Leonardo da Vinci described a pyramidal parachute using a pyramid-shaped wooden frame.

In a notebook entry usually dated to around 1485, Leonardo proposed a canopy made from linen held open by a rigid wooden framework. The structure was shaped like a pyramid and was intended to slow a person’s descent from a height. His description gave approximate dimensions, showing that he was treating the idea as a mechanical and physical problem rather than only as an imaginative sketch.

Leonardo did not document a successful test, and the design was not a practical modern parachute. A rigid frame would create major weight and handling challenges. In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nicholas built and tested a full-scale interpretation, reporting a controlled descent, although he used a separate modern parachute for safety.

Modern parachutes use flexible fabric canopies, suspension lines, and harnesses. Leonardo’s design is historically important because it recognized that increased drag could reduce falling speed.