An airborne system and method for the characterization and measurement of radiating systems or antennas (5), including: an aerial module (1) including a unit for measuring electromagnetic emissions (11), which captures the electromagnetic field (E) radiated by the radiating system or antenna (5), and a positioning and guiding system (13) with an accuracy equal to or less than 3 cm; and a ground station (2) including a unit (23) for processing the electromagnetic emission measurements, which processes the measurements using a set of algorithms for processing electromagnetic emission measurements (25). Also, a method for measuring and characterizing radiating systems or antennas (5). The invention is suitable for use in sectors that require antennas to be characterized and measured, such as, for example, radar and radio navigation facilities, terrestrial- and satellite-based telecommunications systems, or terrestrial broadcasting facilities.