Leonardo da Vinci designed a pyramid-shaped parachute with a linen covering.
In a manuscript dating from about 1485, Leonardo proposed a cloth canopy supported by a wooden framework. His notes state that a person could jump from a great height and land safely if the structure were sufficiently wide and deep. The design is usually described as roughly seven metres high and seven metres wide, although Leonardo’s original wording uses historical units and translations vary.
The pyramid shape differs from the rounded parachutes used today, but it reflects the same basic principle: increasing surface area creates air resistance and slows a falling body. Leonardo did not test the device, and there is no evidence that he built a full-scale version.
A modern reconstruction by Adrian Nichols was dropped in 2000 and reportedly worked, although it was released from a hot-air balloon rather than used by a person. The experiment showed that the concept could generate drag, not that Leonardo had solved every practical safety problem.