diff --git a/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.cpp b/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.cpp
index 67cc25b31d..1b73e48899 100644
--- a/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.cpp
+++ b/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.cpp
@@ -1086,9 +1086,9 @@ void GPS_GSOF::update_write(const GPS_Data *d)
     } pos {
         GSOF_POS_TYPE,
         GSOF_POS_LEN,
-        pack_double_into_gsof_packet(d->latitude * DEG_TO_RAD_DOUBLE),
-        pack_double_into_gsof_packet(d->longitude * DEG_TO_RAD_DOUBLE),
-        pack_double_into_gsof_packet(static_cast<double>(d->altitude))
+        gsof_pack_double(d->latitude * DEG_TO_RAD_DOUBLE),
+        gsof_pack_double(d->longitude * DEG_TO_RAD_DOUBLE),
+        gsof_pack_double(static_cast<double>(d->altitude))
     };
     static_assert(sizeof(gsof_pos) - (sizeof(gsof_pos::OUTPUT_RECORD_TYPE) + sizeof(gsof_pos::RECORD_LEN)) == GSOF_POS_LEN); 
     
@@ -1127,11 +1127,11 @@ void GPS_GSOF::update_write(const GPS_Data *d)
         GSOF_VEL_TYPE,
         GSOF_VEL_LEN,
         vel_flags,
-        pack_float_into_gsof_packet(d->speed_2d()),
-        pack_float_into_gsof_packet(d->heading()),
+        gsof_pack_float(d->speed_2d()),
+        gsof_pack_float(d->heading()),
         // Trimble API has ambiguous direction here.
         // Intentionally narrow from double.
-        pack_float_into_gsof_packet(static_cast<float>(d->speedD))
+        gsof_pack_float(static_cast<float>(d->speedD))
     };
     static_assert(sizeof(gsof_vel) - (sizeof(gsof_vel::OUTPUT_RECORD_TYPE) + sizeof(gsof_vel::RECORD_LEN)) == GSOF_VEL_LEN);
 
@@ -1219,7 +1219,6 @@ void GPS_GSOF::send_gsof(const uint8_t *buf, const uint16_t size)
         TRANSMISSION_NUMBER,
         PAGE_INDEX,
         MAX_PAGE_INDEX,
-
     };
     ++TRANSMISSION_NUMBER;
 
@@ -1245,7 +1244,6 @@ void GPS_GSOF::send_gsof(const uint8_t *buf, const uint16_t size)
     };
 
 
-
     // Sum bytes (status + type + length + data bytes) and modulo 256 the summation
     // Because it's a uint8, use natural overflow
     uint8_t csum = STATUS + PACKET_TYPE + length;
@@ -1273,7 +1271,7 @@ void GPS_GSOF::send_gsof(const uint8_t *buf, const uint16_t size)
     }
 }
 
-uint64_t GPS_GSOF::pack_double_into_gsof_packet(const double& src)
+uint64_t GPS_GSOF::gsof_pack_double(const double& src)
 {
     uint64_t dst;
     static_assert(sizeof(src) == sizeof(dst));
@@ -1282,7 +1280,7 @@ uint64_t GPS_GSOF::pack_double_into_gsof_packet(const double& src)
     return dst;
 }
 
-uint32_t GPS_GSOF::pack_float_into_gsof_packet(const float& src)
+uint32_t GPS_GSOF::gsof_pack_float(const float& src)
 {
     uint32_t dst;
     static_assert(sizeof(src) == sizeof(dst));
diff --git a/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.h b/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.h
index 746a5832a7..a4648c6123 100644
--- a/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.h
+++ b/libraries/SITL/SIM_GPS.h
@@ -113,8 +113,10 @@ public:
 private:
     void send_gsof(const uint8_t *buf, const uint16_t size);
 
-    uint64_t pack_double_into_gsof_packet(const double& src) WARN_IF_UNUSED;
-    uint32_t pack_float_into_gsof_packet(const float& src) WARN_IF_UNUSED;
+    // These packing utilities for GSOF perform a type-safe floating point byteswap.
+    // They return integer types because returning floating points would involve an extra copy.
+    uint64_t gsof_pack_double(const double& src) WARN_IF_UNUSED;
+    uint32_t gsof_pack_float(const float& src) WARN_IF_UNUSED;
 };
 
 class GPS_NMEA : public GPS_Backend {