Update: 

It's Snowmobile Safety Week and the OPP are using this time to offer some important reminders as well as some details on how they are monitoring the trails.

Police say they are dismayed to see snowmobilers make the same mistakes year after year despite the many efforts to educate them.

"We've already dealt with six deaths in OPP jurisdiction so far this season." said OPP Inspector Tina Maier.

And three of six fatalities were when sledders were riding on unsafe ice. 

"There's very little fatalities directly on the trails, which proves the trails are obviously safe." said Gilbert Fortin of the Timmins Snowmobile Club.

Speed, alcohol, and drugs were factors in the other three deaths.

OPP are hoping a decision to add aviation and 'unmanned aerial systems' when it comes to patrolling snowmobile trails this winter will help.

"Aviation support is an effective tool in a number of situations, such as speed enforcement, search and rescue, and detecting dangerous snowmobile operations. UAS is another valuable resource at snowmobile collision scenes, for search and rescues, and for accessing locations inaccessible by other means." said Maier.

Riding in a group is helpful in staying safe.

"Don't go out by yourself. Go out in two or more; go out as a group, so if there's a breakdown, you have a much better chance of survival." said Fortin.

At this time, OPP officials tell CTV News that they can't say when and where their helicopter will patrol in northeastern Ontario, but they do say if you're riding an area trail and you spot it, it's keeping an eye on you to make sure you're safe.

Original:

Snowmobile Safety Week is now underway in Ontario.

It runs from January 19-27, 2019.

The Ontario Provincial Police, Ministry of Transportation, and Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs held a news conference Monday morning at OPP Headquarters in Orillia at 11:00 for the official launch.

A report on snowmobile fatalities so far this season will be given by OPP, as well as details about some of the tools that are being deployed to enhance safety.

Police are now using aerial and Unmanned Aerial Systems technology in areas where snowmobiling is popular in Ontario. 

CTV Northern Ontario’s Lydia Chubak is following the story and will have more this afternoon