Considering the movement of a sink node in this study to solve the data transmission problem of sensor nodes in a 3D network environment, we propose a Data Collection Algorithm of a 3D wireless sensor network (DCA_3D) that weighs node coverage rate and lifetime. DCA_3D establishes a data collection optimization model that weighs node coverage rate and lifetime with the constraints of the sink node's moving path selection, data flow, energy consumption, and link transmission. Subsequently, DCA_3D calculates the fitness value of the sink node's moving path by solving the data collection optimization model with the known sink node's moving path. Then it uses a modified artificial bee colony algorithm to solve the moving path selection problem of the sink node, and finally obtains the optimal scheme. In the scheme, sink node can find the optimal moving path, whereas the sensor node can find the optimal data communication path. The simulation results show that regardless of the moving path length of the sink node, the maximum data collection hops of the sink node and the number of static sensor nodes change, DCA_3D can find the optimal moving path of the sink node. It can improve the coverage rate of the sensor nodes, the network lifetime and average data transmission amount, and reduce the average energy consumption variance and the average packet loss rate. DCA_3D outperforms the state-of-arts such as RAND, GREED, EDG_3D, and ANT. INDEX TERMS 3D Wireless Sensor Networks, Data Collection, Network Lifetime, Packet Loss Rate I. INTRODUCTION W IRELESS Sensor Networks(WSNs), including one or several kinds of sensors, such as visual, temperature, sound, infrared, radar, and seismic sensors, have been widely studied and applied in recent decades [1], [2]. Sensor nodes work together for network monitoring tasks in dangerous environments (such as volcanoes, radiation, and toxic chemicals) and can be applied in disaster rescue, military action, underwater detection, and other application fields. WSNs are static in most applications, and their nodes report data periodically and do not move. However, static WSNs have two prominent problems. First, as the nodes are distributed in harsh environments, users can hardly reach the designated monitoring areas, and manual deployment is unsuitable for node deployment. Only random deployment methods, such as airdrop and scattering, can be used. However, random deployment can easily lead to the uneven distribution of nodes. Second, owing to the numerous communication tasks that involve data transmitting and data transporting of other nodes away from the sink node, the nodes near the sink node tends to run out of energy. Non-uniform node distribution and unbalanced energy consumption easily cause energy hole problems in monitoring areas, leading to network division and lifetime declination [3]-[5]. Thus, the WSN technology should be improved to balance node energy and prolong network lifetime. Many scholars presently focus on the moving path selection, data collection of sink nodes and the...