Leonardo da Vinci’s pyramid-shaped canopy design was a proposed parachute.
Leonardo drew the design in the Codex Atlanticus, describing a pyramid-shaped linen canopy supported by wooden poles. He suggested that a person could descend safely from a height with this structure, although the drawing was a theoretical design rather than a documented flight test.
The design is important because it shows Leonardo applying geometry, fabric, and structural framing to the problem of controlled descent. The canopy’s broad surface was intended to resist the air and reduce the speed of a falling person.
Leonardo’s sketch is sometimes described as the first parachute design, but the modern parachute developed much later and used flexible canopies, suspension lines, and practical deployment methods. In 2000, Adrian Nicholas tested a full-scale replica, though he ultimately used a modern parachute for safety during the descent.