Leonardo da Vinci’s pyramid-shaped parachute is an early parachute design.
Leonardo described a canopy made from linen, held open by a wooden framework, and shaped like a pyramid. His notes suggest that a person could descend safely from a height with such a device. The design is recorded in the Codex Atlanticus and is generally dated to around 1485.
Leonardo did not build or test the parachute. Centuries later, practical parachutes developed with lighter materials and flexible canopies. In 2000, British skydiver Adrian Nicholas tested a full-scale reconstruction based on Leonardo’s design and descended successfully, although he used a modern parachute for the final part of the landing.
The design is sometimes called the first parachute, but that label needs context: it was a theoretical Renaissance design rather than a proven flight instrument. Its significance lies in the clear attempt to control a person’s descent through air resistance.