diff --git a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.cpp b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.cpp
index ae0a1f1674..6877aaba28 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.cpp
@@ -13,20 +13,18 @@
    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
-#include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL.h>
 #include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h"
-#include <AP_SerialManager/AP_SerialManager.h>
-#include <ctype.h>
+
+#include <AP_HAL/AP_HAL.h>
 #include <AP_HAL/utility/sparse-endian.h>
 
+#include <ctype.h>
+
 extern const AP_HAL::HAL& hal;
 
 #define BENEWAKE_FRAME_HEADER 0x59
 #define BENEWAKE_FRAME_LENGTH 9
 #define BENEWAKE_DIST_MAX_CM 32768
-#define BENEWAKE_TFMINI_OUT_OF_RANGE_CM 1200
-#define BENEWAKE_TF02_OUT_OF_RANGE_CM 2200
-#define BENEWAKE_TF03_OUT_OF_RANGE_CM 18000
 #define BENEWAKE_OUT_OF_RANGE_ADD_CM 100
 
 // format of serial packets received from benewake lidar
@@ -47,35 +45,6 @@ extern const AP_HAL::HAL& hal;
 // byte 7 (TF02 only)   TIME            Exposure time in two levels 0x03 and 0x06
 // byte 8               Checksum        Checksum byte, sum of bytes 0 to bytes 7
 
-/* 
-   The constructor also initialises the rangefinder. Note that this
-   constructor is not called until detect() returns true, so we
-   already know that we should setup the rangefinder
-*/
-AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::AP_RangeFinder_Benewake(RangeFinder::RangeFinder_State &_state,
-                                                             AP_RangeFinder_Params &_params,
-                                                             uint8_t serial_instance,
-                                                             benewake_model_type model) :
-    AP_RangeFinder_Backend(_state, _params),
-    model_type(model)
-{
-    const AP_SerialManager &serial_manager = AP::serialmanager();
-    uart = serial_manager.find_serial(AP_SerialManager::SerialProtocol_Rangefinder, serial_instance);
-    if (uart != nullptr) {
-        uart->begin(serial_manager.find_baudrate(AP_SerialManager::SerialProtocol_Rangefinder, serial_instance));
-    }
-}
-
-/* 
-   detect if a Benewake rangefinder is connected. We'll detect by
-   trying to take a reading on Serial. If we get a result the sensor is
-   there.
-*/
-bool AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::detect(uint8_t serial_instance)
-{
-    return AP::serialmanager().find_serial(AP_SerialManager::SerialProtocol_Rangefinder, serial_instance) != nullptr;
-}
-
 // distance returned in reading_cm, signal_ok is set to true if sensor reports a strong signal
 bool AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::get_reading(uint16_t &reading_cm)
 {
@@ -125,7 +94,7 @@ bool AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::get_reading(uint16_t &reading_cm)
                     if (dist >= BENEWAKE_DIST_MAX_CM) {
                         // this reading is out of range
                         count_out_of_range++;
-                    } else if (model_type == BENEWAKE_TFmini || model_type == BENEWAKE_TF03) {
+                    } else if (!has_signal_byte()) {
                         // no signal byte from TFmini so add distance to sum
                         sum_cm += dist;
                         count++;
@@ -156,19 +125,7 @@ bool AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::get_reading(uint16_t &reading_cm)
     if (count_out_of_range > 0) {
         // if only out of range readings return larger of
         // driver defined maximum range for the model and user defined max range + 1m
-        float model_dist_max_cm = 0.0f;
-        switch (model_type) {
-        case BENEWAKE_TFmini:
-            model_dist_max_cm = BENEWAKE_TFMINI_OUT_OF_RANGE_CM;
-            break;
-        case BENEWAKE_TF02:
-            model_dist_max_cm = BENEWAKE_TF02_OUT_OF_RANGE_CM;
-            break;
-        case BENEWAKE_TF03:
-            model_dist_max_cm = BENEWAKE_TF03_OUT_OF_RANGE_CM;
-            break;
-        }
-        reading_cm = MAX(model_dist_max_cm, max_distance_cm() + BENEWAKE_OUT_OF_RANGE_ADD_CM);
+        reading_cm = MAX(model_dist_max_cm(), max_distance_cm() + BENEWAKE_OUT_OF_RANGE_ADD_CM);
         return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h
index 5a1b51d00f..4515c944a7 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h
@@ -1,27 +1,14 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "RangeFinder.h"
-#include "RangeFinder_Backend.h"
+#include "RangeFinder_Backend_Serial.h"
 
-class AP_RangeFinder_Benewake : public AP_RangeFinder_Backend
+class AP_RangeFinder_Benewake : public AP_RangeFinder_Backend_Serial
 {
 
 public:
 
-    enum benewake_model_type {
-        BENEWAKE_TF02 = 0,
-        BENEWAKE_TFmini = 1,
-        BENEWAKE_TF03 = 2,
-    };
-
-    // constructor
-    AP_RangeFinder_Benewake(RangeFinder::RangeFinder_State &_state,
-                            AP_RangeFinder_Params &_params,
-                            uint8_t serial_instance,
-                            benewake_model_type model);
-
-    // static detection function
-    static bool detect(uint8_t serial_instance);
+    using AP_RangeFinder_Backend_Serial::AP_RangeFinder_Backend_Serial;
 
     // update state
     void update(void) override;
@@ -32,14 +19,15 @@ protected:
         return MAV_DISTANCE_SENSOR_LASER;
     }
 
+    virtual float model_dist_max_cm() const = 0;
+    virtual bool has_signal_byte() const { return false; }
+
 private:
 
     // get a reading
     // distance returned in reading_cm
     bool get_reading(uint16_t &reading_cm);
 
-    AP_HAL::UARTDriver *uart = nullptr;
-    benewake_model_type model_type;
     uint8_t linebuf[10];
     uint8_t linebuf_len;
 };
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF02.h b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF02.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..89af15632c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF02.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h"
+
+class AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF02 : public AP_RangeFinder_Benewake
+{
+public:
+    using AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::AP_RangeFinder_Benewake;
+
+protected:
+    float model_dist_max_cm() const override { return 2200; }
+    bool has_signal_byte() const override { return true; }
+};
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF03.h b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF03.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..38f5746fac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF03.h
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h"
+
+class AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF03 : public AP_RangeFinder_Benewake
+{
+public:
+    using AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::AP_RangeFinder_Benewake;
+
+protected:
+    float model_dist_max_cm() const override { return 18000; }
+};
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMini.h b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMini.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5b3eef20b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMini.h
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h"
+
+class AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMini : public AP_RangeFinder_Benewake
+{
+public:
+    using AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::AP_RangeFinder_Benewake;
+
+protected:
+    float model_dist_max_cm() const override { return 1200; }
+};
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_MaxsonarSerialLV.h b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_MaxsonarSerialLV.h
index 0866e7689c..7d83aa549e 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_MaxsonarSerialLV.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/AP_RangeFinder_MaxsonarSerialLV.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ class AP_RangeFinder_MaxsonarSerialLV : public AP_RangeFinder_Backend_Serial
 
 public:
 
+    using AP_RangeFinder_Backend_Serial::AP_RangeFinder_Backend_Serial;
+
     // update state
     void update(void) override;
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/RangeFinder.cpp b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/RangeFinder.cpp
index b9478a41ec..491dbb5d11 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/RangeFinder.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_RangeFinder/RangeFinder.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@
 #include "AP_RangeFinder_VL53L1X.h"
 #include "AP_RangeFinder_NMEA.h"
 #include "AP_RangeFinder_Wasp.h"
-#include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake.h"
+#include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF02.h"
+#include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF03.h"
+#include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMini.h"
 #include "AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMiniPlus.h"
 #include "AP_RangeFinder_PWM.h"
 #include "AP_RangeFinder_BLPing.h"
@@ -500,18 +502,18 @@ void RangeFinder::detect_instance(uint8_t instance, uint8_t& serial_instance)
         }
         break;
     case Type::BenewakeTF02:
-        if (AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::detect(serial_instance)) {
-            drivers[instance] = new AP_RangeFinder_Benewake(state[instance], params[instance], serial_instance++, AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::BENEWAKE_TF02);
+        if (AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF02::detect(serial_instance)) {
+            drivers[instance] = new AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF02(state[instance], params[instance], serial_instance++);
         }
         break;
     case Type::BenewakeTFmini:
-        if (AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::detect(serial_instance)) {
-            drivers[instance] = new AP_RangeFinder_Benewake(state[instance], params[instance], serial_instance++, AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::BENEWAKE_TFmini);
+        if (AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMini::detect(serial_instance)) {
+            drivers[instance] = new AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TFMini(state[instance], params[instance], serial_instance++);
         }
         break;
     case Type::BenewakeTF03:
-        if (AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::detect(serial_instance)) {
-            drivers[instance] = new AP_RangeFinder_Benewake(state[instance], params[instance], serial_instance++, AP_RangeFinder_Benewake::BENEWAKE_TF03);
+        if (AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF03::detect(serial_instance)) {
+            drivers[instance] = new AP_RangeFinder_Benewake_TF03(state[instance], params[instance], serial_instance++);
         }
         break;
     case Type::PWM: