diff --git a/include/interfaces/iDistance.hpp b/include/interfaces/iDistance.hpp
index c198dfdd..aac6da24 100644
--- a/include/interfaces/iDistance.hpp
+++ b/include/interfaces/iDistance.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace upm
   {
   public:
     virtual ~iDistance() {}
-    virtual int getDistance() = 0;
+    virtual float getDistance() = 0;
     /**
       * Convert distance value from Cm(default) to one
       * of the following:
diff --git a/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.cxx b/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.cxx
index eb429c83..e53361a1 100644
--- a/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.cxx
+++ b/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.cxx
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ GroveUltraSonic::~GroveUltraSonic () {
     mraa_gpio_close (m_pinCtx);
 }
 
-int
+float
 GroveUltraSonic::getDistance () {
 
     // output trigger signal
diff --git a/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.hpp b/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.hpp
index c8adce04..0a35dcb7 100644
--- a/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.hpp
+++ b/src/groveultrasonic/groveultrasonic.hpp
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class GroveUltraSonic {
          * Divide by 58 to convert distance to centimetres. 
          * Divide by 148 to convert distance to inches.
          */
-        int getDistance ();
+        float getDistance ();
 
         /**
          * Return name of the component
diff --git a/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.cxx b/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.cxx
index 2560e944..47d0b112 100644
--- a/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.cxx
+++ b/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.cxx
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ HCSR04::getDistance(HCSR04_U unit)
     return hcsr04_get_distance(m_hcsr04, unit);
 }
 
-int
+float
 HCSR04::getDistance()
 {
     return getDistance(HCSR04_CM);
diff --git a/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.hpp b/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.hpp
index e1c55dcf..ca9aa89e 100644
--- a/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.hpp
+++ b/src/hcsr04/hcsr04.hpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class HCSR04 : virtual public iDistance {
          *
          * @return distance measured in cm.
          */
-        virtual int getDistance();
+        float getDistance();
     private:
         hcsr04_context m_hcsr04;
         HCSR04(const HCSR04& src) { /* do not create copied constructor */ }
diff --git a/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.cxx b/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.cxx
index a615d42e..0f37e3f6 100644
--- a/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.cxx
+++ b/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.cxx
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ LIDARLITEV3::LIDARLITEV3 (int bus, int devAddr) : m_i2ControlCtx(bus) {
     }
 }
 
-int
+float
 LIDARLITEV3::getDistance () {
 
     if(i2cWriteReg(ACQ_COMMAND, 0x04) < 0)
diff --git a/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.hpp b/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.hpp
index 9be5f944..2947d4bb 100644
--- a/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.hpp
+++ b/src/lidarlitev3/lidarlitev3.hpp
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class LIDARLITEV3 : virtual public iDistance {
          * Returns distance measurement on success
          * Retruns -1 on failure.
          */
-        virtual int getDistance ();
+        virtual float getDistance ();
 
         /**
          * Read
diff --git a/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.cxx b/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.cxx
index 4a7d3419..0cea47df 100644
--- a/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.cxx
+++ b/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.cxx
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ int MAXSONAREZ::inches()
   return int(volts / m_vI);
 }
 
-int MAXSONAREZ::getDistance()
+float MAXSONAREZ::getDistance()
 {
-   return (inches() * 2.54);
+   return inches() * 2.54;
 }
diff --git a/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.hpp b/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.hpp
index e652fb74..65464d09 100644
--- a/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.hpp
+++ b/src/maxsonarez/maxsonarez.hpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ namespace upm {
      *
      * @return Distance to the object in inches
      */
-    virtual int getDistance();
+    virtual float getDistance();
 
   private:
     mraa_aio_context m_aio;
diff --git a/src/mb704x/mb704x.cxx b/src/mb704x/mb704x.cxx
index 5eb344c3..98d078d1 100644
--- a/src/mb704x/mb704x.cxx
+++ b/src/mb704x/mb704x.cxx
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ int MB704X::getRange()
     return mb704x_get_range(m_mb704x);
 }
 
-int MB704X::getDistance()
+float MB704X::getDistance()
 {
     return getRange();
 }
diff --git a/src/mb704x/mb704x.hpp b/src/mb704x/mb704x.hpp
index 679fbcc9..f88fcced 100644
--- a/src/mb704x/mb704x.hpp
+++ b/src/mb704x/mb704x.hpp
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ namespace upm {
          *
          * @return Distance to the object in cm
          */
-        virtual int getDistance();
+        virtual float getDistance();
     protected:
         // mb704x device context
         mb704x_context m_mb704x;
diff --git a/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.cxx b/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.cxx
index 51070e33..7a290da0 100644
--- a/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.cxx
+++ b/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.cxx
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ UltraSonic::~UltraSonic () {
     mraa_gpio_close (m_pinCtx);
 }
 
-int
+float
 UltraSonic::getDistance () {
 
     // output trigger signal
diff --git a/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.hpp b/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.hpp
index f30a37eb..1b82c67e 100644
--- a/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.hpp
+++ b/src/ultrasonic/ultrasonic.hpp
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class UltraSonic {
          * Divide by 58 to convert distance to centimetres. 
          * Divide by 148 to convert distance to inches.
          */
-        int getDistance ();
+        float getDistance ();
 
         /**
          * Return name of the component
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class UltraSonic {
         /**
          * Returns true while the sensor is busy waiting for the echo pulse
          */
-        bool working()
+        float working()
         {
             return m_doWork;
         }
diff --git a/src/urm37/urm37.cxx b/src/urm37/urm37.cxx
index c7fcbc6d..ec021048 100644
--- a/src/urm37/urm37.cxx
+++ b/src/urm37/urm37.cxx
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ float URM37::getDistance(int degrees)
   return (distance);
 }
 
-int URM37::getDistance()
+float URM37::getDistance()
 {
     /* TODO: compilation issue for swig. switched original method to not use default zero parameter. */
     return getDistance(0);
diff --git a/src/urm37/urm37.hpp b/src/urm37/urm37.hpp
index bca87c51..f1d3bba6 100644
--- a/src/urm37/urm37.hpp
+++ b/src/urm37/urm37.hpp
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ namespace upm {
      *
      * @return The measured distance in cm
      */
-    virtual int getDistance();
+    virtual float getDistance();
 
     /**
      * Get the temperature measurement.  This is only valid in UART mode.