Leonardo da Vinci’s pyramid-shaped linen-canopy design was a parachute.
Leonardo described and illustrated the parachute in the Codex Atlanticus, dating the design to about 1485. His drawing shows a rigid pyramidal frame covered with linen, intended to let a person descend from a height without being injured. The design is often cited as an early systematic proposal for a parachute.
Leonardo did not record a successful test, and his parachute differs substantially from modern parachutes, which use flexible canopies shaped to create drag and controlled lift. In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nichols built a replica based on Leonardo’s dimensions and successfully tested it, although he used a modern backup parachute for safety.
The design is sometimes described as the first parachute, but that wording refers to the earliest well-known detailed design rather than a proven flight device. Its significance lies in applying air resistance to controlled descent.